The suspension of fines for overdue books at Nevada County libraries is now permanent. It’s part of the new county budget approved by supervisors on Tuesday. The suspension was imposed at around the start of the pandemic about a year ago, with libraries shut down most of the year. County Librarian Nick Wilczek says revenue from the fines is less than one-percent of their annual budget. Libraries traditionally didn’t allow patrons to check out additional books until the overdue books were returned…

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Last year, the American Library Association urged its members to re-examine their policies on fines. It said the policies discouraged violators from accessing other services, such as free children’s activities, career training, and literacy programs. Computer and internet service is also available…

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Wilczek also says it’s rare that libraries never get checked out books returned. Overdue fines also disproportionately affect low-income patrons who tend to access services more, according to a report from the San Francisco Justice Project