Dwindling Fines Sparks Library Funding Quarrel

For years, members of the Hillsborough Library Advisory Board could count on a budget of about $50,000 each year for use in keeping the library functioning—furniture, equipment and training needs could be dependably paid for with the money paid by procrastinating readers.

But with the increasing popularity of electronic books being accessed by library patrons, an unexpected decrease in late book fees is causing headaches for library budgeting.

Somerset County Library Commission Chairman Art Carlson, who also is a patron of the local branch, said since the e-books close access to readers at the end of the check-out period, library fines are dropping.

He said the drop has only begun to show up recently, with collections dropping 5 to 10 percent... and expected to continue.

Though not stated, that drop is a contributing factor in why the library commission raised fines earlier this year, but included in the resolution instituting the higher fines was a change in how the fines will be handled that's troubling members of the advisory board.

Members of the library advisory board attended a commission meeting April 3 at the Hillsborough Public Library to object to wording in the resolution increasing the fines the board members say could cut them out of the revenue stream.  

"These fines are a significant part of the library board’s funds, and while the new resolution appears to imply that we will continue to collect a portion of the fines this year, there are no guarantees, leaving us with little ability to plan for the future," Hillsborough Public Library Advisory Board President Judy Haas said.

The resolution rescinded a 1993 resolution specifying all late fees would be given to the library advisory boards for the county libraries, and instead "dedicates up to the 2012 amount in fines to those branches which have a functioning Advisory, Foundation or Trustee Board, and have proper financial controls in place."

Carlson said the commission's intent is to provide the boards with the same amount of funding they would have had without any changes, but Haas said the resolution needs to be changed to state that, if that's the case.

"As we speak, the branches have been asked to submit to the county more than half of the doubled fines," she told commissioners. "As it stands, it will harm Hillsborough and other libraries that rely on these funds."

But with the amount collected dropping fast as more and more patrons become comfortable checking out the library's e-book collection, Carlson said the challenge is trying to find wording that will be suitable.

"They want a guarantee but I don't know how we can guarantee anything with these iffy numbers," he said. 

Carlson said the commission is appointing a committee to review the resolution raising fines to see if a wording change can be made to clarify that it's not the commission's intent to take funding away from the advisory board, or if a better system can be instituted to handle the funds. UPDATE: SCLC Director Brian Auger said Wednesday that Carlson, Sherri Lynn and Bob Waldstein had been named to the subcommittee reviewing the resolution.

The matter could be discussed again at the commission's May 1 meeting at the Manville Public Library, but Carlson said it would depend on the committee that's only this week being established.

This article was edited to include the names of the commission members who will review the resolution's wording.