Fines can be Fine
Oh yes, I totally get it – nobody likes spending more money than they need to; I’ll be the first one to tell you that. I know some of you are thinking, “touché and true-say to that brother.” Sometimes though, fines can be a good thing that benefits everybody, including you!
In recent months, I’ve been getting calls from our members about library fines: some accepting the responsibility of being late, while others are troubled by the concept. Let’s talk about it for a moment.
Envision a library without a fines collection program, what would it look like? For starters, people would not have a reason to return borrowed materials on time. Library materials would be held onto longer than they should be and it would be very difficult to predict when they would be returned to the library so the next person could benefit. How does that affect you as a borrower? The pool of published resources that Toronto values would be less accessible, disorganized, and outright inefficient… scary isn't it?
So the next time you incur fines, remember the bigger picture and keep in mind that fines collected ensure the integrity of YOUR library. Above all, fines are reinvested to improve library services to better serve you.
If you still don't welcome the idea, be sure to return your library items on time… here are some tips on how to avoid fines and pay them if you get to that point.
2 thoughts on “Fines can be Fine”
Don’t sweat it Jorge, people just like to complain, even if they’re in the wrong.
Sometimes I wonder if it’s the influence of consumer culture; more and more of us view everything through the prism of ‘customer service’, even when it comes to public services like the library. And listen to how they refer to us as ‘customers’ on the TTC, as though our $3 entitles us to so much more than that desperately underfunded system can offer.
We need to get back to thinking of ourselves as citizens, not just customers. Citizens have responsibilities, they contribute. Customers just expect to be served.
Hi Angus,
Thanks for providing a very interesting take on the expectations of consumers in the new millennia. I do second your argument about there being a need for individuals to act more like citizens (thinking of the broader picture) and less like consumers (thinking about self-interest). This mentality serves the betterment of society and our collective well-being.