Staff ReportTOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 12/19/2017
ITEM NO: 7
PREPARED BY: RYAN BAKER
LIBRARY DIRECTOR
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
DATE: DECEMBER 11, 2017
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: APPROVE AN ALTERNATIVE BOOK REPLACEMENT AND FINE FORGIVENESS
PROGRAM IN LIEU OF STANDARD LIBRARY FINES FOR A TEMPORARY
PERIOD OF ONE MONTH
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve an alternative book replacement and fine forgiveness program in lieu of standard
Library fines for a temporary period of one month.
BACKGROUND:
The Library currently has 723 accounts blocked due to overdue fines and 1,568 accounts
blocked due to unpaid, lost or damaged items. The total number of unreturned items is 5,592
which dates from 2010 to the present. Most of these accounts individually comprise an
amount which exceeds the minimum threshold needed to temporarily block the account from
use yet are not high enough or do not meet the criteria to justify sending to collections. In an
effort to encourage patrons to bring their accounts into good standing , welcome patrons back
to the Library, and recapture costs for unreturned/lost items, the Library Board at its November
8th, 2017 meeting recommended implementing a temporary alternative book replacement
program combined with fine forgiveness for one month during the spring of 2018.
An overview of blocked accounts is as follows:
Minimum threshold needed to block an account from use is $20.
Minimum criteria to justify costs of sending an account to collections is $80 worth of
unreturned items marked at least 120 days overdue. Accounts with overdue fines that
do not have outstanding items are not eligible to send to collections regardless of t he
amount on the account.
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: APPROVE AN ALTERNATIVE BOOK REPLACEMENT AND FINE FORGIVENESS
PROGRAM IN LIEU OF STANDARD LIBRARY FINES FOR A TEMPORARY PERIOD
OF ONE MONTH
DECEMBER 11, 2017
COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\12-19-17\Library Fine Forgiveness\Staff Report – Library Fine Forgiveness
BACKGROUND (cont’d):
Total number of accounts dating from 2010 to the present blocked due to overdue fines
above the threshold, but with no outstanding items is 723 with an accumulated balance
of $29,459.
Total number of accounts dating from 2010 to the present blocked due to lost or
damaged items is 1,568.
Total number of lost or damaged items outstanding on accounts dating from 2010 to
the present is 5,592 with a dollar value of $134,975.
Total number of those accounts that have met the criteria for collections and have been
reported to our collections agency is 183 with a dollar value of $32,490.
DISCUSSION:
For this program, the Library proposes to waive past overdue fines and current lost/damaged
item processing fees in exchange for a new hardbound book or media item presented to the
Library from the delinquent account holder. The new titles must be selected from a list of
popular or needed library items compiled by Library Staff. Accounts that have already been
sent to collections will not be eligible for this program.
For accounts in which there are no outstanding items and blocks are due solely to the
accumulation of overdue fines, the patron will be given the option to provide the Library with
one new hardbound book or new media item selected from a curated list provided by Library
staff. In exchange for the new item, the library will clear the blocked account and forgive any
outstanding overdue fines owed.
For accounts blocked due to unreturned, lost, or damaged items, the patron will be able to
either return the outstanding items in good condition or provide new hardbound books or new
media items from the Library’s list. To be eligible for forgiveness, the patron must provide new
items equal to the number of items listed on the patron’s account that have been marked
unreturned, lost, or damaged. Additional processing fees and overdue fines will be waived
during this program to incentivize bringing accounts current.
Occasional temporary book replacement and/or fine forgiveness programs based on different
models are common in Library systems throughout the nation. Libraries have little recourse for
enforcing recapture of outstanding fines and blocked accounts discourage Library usage in
general particularly with families and young adults. A program that offers a degree of incentive
for otherwise inactive patrons to voluntarily bring their account into good standing has
demonstrated to be the most successful method for clearing past outstanding accounts. Based
on variations of similar programs conducted by San Francisco Public Library, San Jose Public
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: APPROVE AN ALTERNATIVE BOOK REPLACEMENT AND FINE FORGIVENESS
PROGRAM IN LIEU OF STANDARD LIBRARY FINES FOR A TEMPORARY PERIOD
OF ONE MONTH
DECEMBER 11, 2017
COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\12-19-17\Library Fine Forgiveness\Staff Report – Library Fine Forgiveness
DISCUSSION (cont’d):
Library, Santa Clara County Library, Santa Clara City Library, Sacramento Public Library and Los
Angeles Public Library, Library staff estimates that approximately 10-15% of otherwise inactive
blocked patrons will be reinstated as patrons in good standing as a result of the program. This
amount is estimated to recapture a value of approximately $6,000-$7,500 in new books
brought in to offset waiving approximately $13,000-$16,000 in outstanding overdue fines and
replacement fees.
CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS:
If approved by Council, Library staff will target the program for the month of February, 2018.
Advertising and marketing will begin in the second week of January. Marketing efforts will
include Library and Town social media, website, and print; however, the primary focus of
marketing will be targeted email to the holders of blocked accounts with additional print
postcards sent to blocked accounts holders ages 65 and above or for account holders with a
balance of over $60 on their accounts.
Library staff will consider the program successful if 200 blocked patron accounts are brought
into good standing and/or 300 lost or damaged items are either returned or replaced with a
new item. The Library Board will evaluate the results of the program and determine strengths
and weaknesses based on outcomes. If the program is successful, the Library Board may
consider proposing a similar program in futures years. If unsuccessful, Library staff and the
Library Board will research alternative variations for Library fine amnesty models with the goal
of returning to Council in the following year with a new proposal for moving forward.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Outstanding Library fines are not recorded Town revenues until the fiscal year they are
eventually collected. Implementing this program is not projected to have a material impact on
the Library’s budgeted fines and forfeitures revenues for FY 17/18 .
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.