The Austin City Council unanimously voted on Thursday, Feb. 17 to get rid of overdue fines for library materials at the Austin Public Library (APL). The decision follows over 400 libraries in the US that have done the same. The movement across the country to get rid of overdue fines comes after the American Library Association’s acknowledgement that library fines are a form of social inequity and often dissuade people from checking out library books. 

The APL previously removed fines on books in the children’s section in 2018. Later, in 2021, the APL exempted all children enrolled in Travis County schools from the usual non-resident fee. The new change will apply to all cardholders at the APL. 

However, the decision is not retroactive. Existing fines and pending payments will not be dissolved. Despite the removal of fees for overdue books, patrons will still be fined for books that are lost or damaged.

The change went into effect on Monday, Feb. 28.