[media-credit name=”Hayden Memorial Library” align=”alignnone” width=”500″]
Students can look forward to the absence of overdue book fines at the Hayden Memorial Library in the near future, thanks to collaboration between faculty and ASCC. The date the measure will become official is unclear as of press time.
The elimination of late fees will lift transcript holds for students trying to transfer from Citrus College to other colleges and universities.
“We’re trying to make positive changes for student success,” said public services librarian Sarah Bosler.
In the past, students were fined 25 cents per day for a late book return. If students didn’t pay the fine they would have a hold on their student transcripts.
ASCC President Andres Navarro said other schools have also eliminated debts, including the nearby Mount San Antonio College.
“There is a 90 percent return rate,” said Navarro about other schools that had a success on late returns.
Bosler also said that the library will no longer hold sales, as the money handling became overwhelming for library staff.
The library will also stop fines on reserve books. The fine once was $1 an hour for a late return on a reserve book. Now students will receive a preliminary warning and if a student is warned a second time, they will no longer to be able to check out books on reserve.
The library staff still sends out overdue notices to students via their Citrus College email addresses. Normally holds are placed three weeks before the registration dates for the following semester.
If the measure is approved, the library plans to forgive past overdue fines. However, until the decision becomes final, any overdue fees must be paid at the cashier’s office in the Student Services Building.
Systems Services librarian Lanette Granger said she didn’t want students to have a hold on their record just because they owe $3, as any fine can result in a transcript hold. Rabitoy said that revenue to the library comes from lost books, which are considered lost once hold notices are sent to students e-mail accounts.
All fees that are collected go to the general district fund of Citrus College and is distributed to the library to cover the cost of currently lost or damage books.
