Pittsfield Public Library goes fine-free

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) -- Pittsfield's Public Library, The Berkshire Athenaeum, has announced it is now a fine-free library. If patrons return library material late, they will not be given daily charges.

According to the American Library Association, may libraries find that going fine-free helps erase barriers to library use. Research shows that fines are not effective in ensuring library materials are returned. In October 2021, the New York Public Library joined a growing number of libraries across the nation going fine-free and explained that this policy shift was intended to offer a fresh start. For more information, you can visit the Pittsfield Library website.