Vancouver Island Regional Library scraps late fees on all items

The Vancouver Island Regional Library's Nanaimo Harbourfront branch is shown. (CTV News)

The Vancouver Island Regional Library system (VIRL) has permanently removed late fees for all of its items.

The move comes after late fees for young adult and adult materials were suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Then, one year later in September 2021, VIRL board members voted to permanently remove fines for young adult materials and place a one-year moratorium on late fees for adult materials.

On Thursday, the library system announced it would be permanently removing all of its fines as of Jan. 1, 2023.

"This decision from our board means more families will have access to reading and educational materials, more seniors will be able to connect with their libraries, and no one will suffer the indignity and embarrassment of punitive fines restricting their ability to read, watch, and listen to the 750,000 physical items in our collection," said VIRL executive director Ben Hyman.

"I would like to thank staff for their advocacy and vision to make our system fine free, and our board for supporting this values-aligned outcome," he said in a release Thursday.

While late fees in the library system have been scrapped, people will still be charged for the cost of replacing an item if it is not returned within 120 days.

The regular loan period is 21 days, and multiple reminders will be sent between the 21-day period and the 120-day period, according to VIRL.

On any given day, there are approximately 150,000 physical items checked out across VIRL's system. Of those items, about two thirds are returned before the initial 21-day loan period is over, according to the organization.

VIRL says late returns are not an issue with its digital items, which now make up about one third of all items borrowed through the library system.

Anyone who had existing late fees on their account have had those fees removed as of Jan. 1, notes VIRL.

The Vancouver Island Regional Library system launched in 1936 and has grown to 39 branches across Vancouver Island, as well as in Haida Gwaii and the Central Coast.