Loans, Fines, and Fees
Fine Free. For Good.
We stand for free and open access to information. That starts with removing unnecessary barriers to our educational resources and technology. Starting April 13, 2023, the Lexington Public Library will no longer charge fines or fees for late, lost, or damaged material.
What does fine free mean?
For LPL, fine free means that we will not charge overdue fines or fees for lost or damaged materials.
Can I keep material indefinitely?
Please respect your neighbors, who also want to borrow these items, by returning your materials before the due date.
Will I have to wait longer for material?
No, we expect wait times to be the same.
Why go fine free?
We believe in free and equal access to information. Fines and fees pose an unnecessary barrier to those who most need access to our educational resources and technology.
I’ve always thought of paying my fines as my donation to the library. Can I still donate?
Absolutely. We accept financial donations through the Lexington Public Library Foundation and in-kind gifts to the Friends of the Lexington Public Library. Make a donation anytime here. Thank you!
My card is currently blocked. What should I do?
Fines and fee balances will automatically be removed from your card on April 13, 2023. Please see any staff member if you have trouble accessing your card after that date.
I thought LPL was already fine free?
We have been temporarily fine free since March 2020, as we all dealt with the uncertainty of the global pandemic. During that time, we realized that fines and fees were not necessary to get customers to return their materials. In fact, they negatively impacted the members of our community who need our services most, and we have welcomed many new faces to the Library over the past three years as a result.
What will this cost the Library?
Nothing! We would have had to hire additional staff to resume charging fines and fees, and that extra staff time would have cost the organization 2-3x the amount collected in fines revenue.
What happens if someone takes excessive advantage of fine free status and keep materials?
LPL will address this on a case-by-case basis.
Loan Periods |
|
|
Books, audio |
28 days |
|
High-demand books, magazines |
14 days |
|
DVDs |
7 days |
|
eBooks, eAudiobooks |
7 or 14 days |
Items Allowed at One Time |
|
|
Physical materials |
100 items |
|
Digital content (eBooks & eAudiobooks, combined) |
15 items |
Reserves Allowed at One Time |
|
|
Physical materials |
20 items |
|
Digital content (eBooks & eAudiobooks, combined) |
10 items |
Materials may be returned to any Lexington Public Library location. Items may be renewed unless the item has had a reserve placed on it. Items may be renewed at any Library location, by telephone, or online.
