Toronto Public Library to turn the page on all overdue fines

City council votes for funding that will allow TPL to join the “fine-free movement” aimed at making systems more equitable for low-income users

Thestar.com
Feb. 18, 2022
David Rider

Toronto library users will soon never again have to worry about paying fines on overdue books and other borrowed materials.

City council on Thursday voted for a $500,000 net increase in funding for Toronto Public Libraries to allow it to eliminate fines for youths and adults, after fines for children’s materials were scrapped last year.

The library board is expected to make the change official at a March meeting.

TPL joins hundreds of other systems across North American in what is being called a “fine-free movement” aimed at dropping fines to boost equality and use.

“This really is going to address social inequity for those people who live in racialized and low-income communities and have been blocked from library use at a higher rate than others in the community because of the financial hardship and barrier established by overdue fines,” chief librarian Vickery Bowles told the Star.

“Even if you have a $10 fine, people who can’t afford to pay it just don’t come back to the library for anything -- not for borrowing, not for using the computers,” Bowles said.

“They just don’t walk through the doors because they are concerned about having this overdue fine.”

As well as preventing future fines, the move wipes out about $650,000 in past fines owed by roughly 147,000 Toronto library users.

The library systems of Brampton and Mississauga are among those that have already ended overdue fines.

The motion at Toronto council, moved by Mayor John Tory as part of 2022 budget deliberations, was approved 24-2 with councillors Doug Holyday (Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre) and Michael Ford (Ward 1 Etobicoke North) opposed.