National Library Week at Calhoun County
This week is National Library Week! I look forward to this week every year, because it is when the American Library Association releases the annual State of America’s Libraries report. This report is full of statistics about how Americans are using their public, school, and academic libraries and how those libraries are engaging with and helping their communities. It also includes the yearly list of the Top Ten Most Challenged Books along with data about book challenges and banning across the country. The 2020 report came out on Monday, and was full of fascinating pieces of information. According to a recent Gallup poll, library visits are “the most common cultural activity Americans engage in by far,” with adults reporting an average of 10.5 trips to the library per year - more than trips to the movies, zoos, and national parks. Adults age 18-29 visit the library more than any other group, and take advantage of services like free WiFi, activities for children, and use of technology.
One of my favorite things included in this year’s report is something that we at Calhoun County Library have been doing since our founding in 1959. In 2019, the ALA Council passed a resolution recommending that public libraries go “fine-free,” and stop charging overdue fines for library materials. These fines pose an “economic barrier to access of library materials and services,” and disproportionately affect people from lower income families. Public libraries nationwide in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco have recently stopped charging fines for overdue materials within a certain time-frame, provided the materials are safely returned to the library. Our library has NEVER charged overdue fines - we were way ahead of the curve on that one! Our return rate for materials has always been comparative to libraries that charged 5 or 10 cents per day, per overdue item, showing that those fines weren’t really encouraging people to bring things back on time anyway.
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