Quad City Iowa RiverShare Libraries go fine free

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - The Iowa Quad Cities RiverShare Libraries announced the beginning of a fine-free chapter in 2023 for members with outstanding fines.

The RiverShare Libraries announced that beginning Jan. 1, all 9-member libraries will stop collecting overdue fines for late materials, stated a media release from the RiverShare Library System.

Libraries in the system includes: Bettendorf Public Library, Clinton Community College Library, Clinton Public Library, Davenport Public Library, LeClaire Community Library, Muscatine Community College Library, Musser Public Library, Scott County College Library, and Scott County Library System.

The move to fine-free lending is designed to remove barriers in accessing library materials and foster library card usage for all, RiverShare Library officials said.

“With the elimination of fines, items will still have due dates and need to be returned to the library, or a bill will be issued for a lost item,” said Tricia Kane, Director of the Scott County Library System. “Research has shown that late fines don’t affect return rates, and we anticipate that removing fines will allow us to encourage more people to use our libraries.”

The study comes from The American Library Association which indicated the evidence from recent fine-free libraries has shown to alleviate staffs’ time managing dues and removes economic barriers to accessing library materials and services.

For more information, visit https://libguides.davenportlibrary.com.

Individual RiverShare member libraries can be directed to the following contacts:

Bettendorf Public Library:

Jillian Aschliman, Library Director

Phone: 563-344-4183

Email: jaschliman@bettendorf.org

Clinton Community College

Courtney Prichard, Librarian

Phone: 563-244-7106

Email: clpritchard@eicc.edu

Clinton Public Library

Susan Mesecher, Library Director

Phone: 563-242-9115

Email: SMesecher@clintonpubliclibrary.us

Davenport Public Library

Jeff Collins, Library Director

Phone: 563-328-6850

Email: jcollins@davenportlibrary.co

LeClaire Community Library

Melita Tunnicliff, Library Director

Phone: 563-289-6002

Email: mtunnicliff@leclaireiowa.gov

Muscatine Community College

Nancy Luikart, Assistant Dean for Library Services

Phone: 563-288-6073

Email: nluikart@eicc.edu

Musser Public Library

Robert Fiedler, Library Director

Phone: 563-263-3065, ext. 125

Email: rfiedler@muscatineiowa.gov

Scott County Community College

Debra Lowman, Associate Dean of Library and Learning—District Lead

Phone: 563-441-4150

Email: dlowman@eicc.edu

Scott County Library System

Tricia Kane, Library Director

Phone: 563-285-4794, ext. 2229

Email: Tricia.Kane@scottcountylibrary.org

Copyright 2023 KWQC. All rights reserved.