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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2025 0311 LB REG ITEM 07ACITY OF MOORPARK MOORPARK LIBRARY BOARD AGENDA REPORT TO: Moorpark Library Board FROM: Jessica Sandifer, Community Services Manager & Christine Conwell, City Library DATE: 03/11/2025 (Regular Meeting) SUBJECT: Consider Update on Fine Free Library Policy at Moorpark City Library BACKGROUND When the City took over Library operations from the County of Ventura, all policies related to the Library, including the Circulation Policy, resided within the City Council Policies Resolution (Policies Resolution). At that time, policies for the Library were developed by staff, reviewed by the Library Board, and added to the Policies Resolution. Any subsequent changes or amendments to those policies were taken to the Library Board and, if recommended by the Library Board, the changes were included in upda tes to the Policies Resolution. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many changes to the Policies Resolution were implemented to encourage participation in government services and enhance accessibility while at the same time encouraging social distancing. The concept of a Fine Free Policy was first initiated at the Moorpark City Library in response to the COVID -19 pandemic. Considering the potential hardships of library patrons due to the pandemic, the City Manager halted the collection and accrual of overdue fines and fees under his emergency authority. During the pandemic, many library systems began going fine free, which prompted City staff to explore the issue further. In February 2022, the Library Board, as the legislative body responsible for reviewing library policies and procedures, considered whether or not it was appropriate to implement a Fine Free Policy at the Moorpark City Library. The Board recommended moving forward with the Fine Free Policy. However, before staff was able to calendar the item for further consideration by the City Council, the City Council approved the incorporation of certain policies into the Administrative Policies Manual (APM). The APM document contains all the policies that the City Council determined should be policy matters administered by staff, not the City Council. These polices were removed from the Policies Resolution and are now managed by individual City departments. In May 2022, former City Council Policy 6.18 - Moorpark City Library Circulation was moved to the APM, which gave the Parks and Recreation Director the authority to approve policy ITEM: 7.A. 1 Library Board 03/11/2025 Regular Meeting Page 2 changes in consultation with the City Manager. Since the Library Board had previously concurred with implementing a Fine Free Policy, and after discussion with the City Manager, the Parks and Recreation Director approved the full implementation of the Fine Free Policy at the Library. Following that decision, in April 2023 a new Fine and Fee Resolution was taken to the City Council. The Fine and Fee Resolution established fines and fees associated with all City functions, such as various program and development fees. Consistent with the new library Fine Free Policy approved by the Parks and Recreation Director, the Fine and Fee Resolution ultimately removed library fines from the fine and fee schedule. Although the policy changes halted overdue fines, there was still a balance of accrued, overdue fines in the amount of $61,810.67. Due to the accrual of overdue fines, there was a significant number of blocked patron accounts. Blocked patron accounts do not allow use of library resources which require a valid library card to access, such as books and materials, the instrument loan program, and electronic book and movie databases. Waiver of these overdue fines would allow these blocked patrons to come back and use the full breadth of library resources. A staff report was prepared for the May 17, 2023, City Council meeting, requesting approval of the wavier of accrued past-due fines deemed uncollectible. At that meeting, the City Council requested a more detailed staff report to discuss the Fine Free Policy and waiver of the Fines. On September 6, 2023, a report discussing the Fine Free Policy and the reasons for its implementation was presented to the City Council. The City Council approved the waiver of the overdue fines, with a request to return to the City Council in one year with an update on the Fine Free Policy. In October 2024, staff prepared an update for the City Council regarding implementation of the Fine Free Policy. Staff is providing the same update to the Library Board along with some additional information that has been measured since that meeting. The City Council has also requested a follow-up item in April or May 2025 in order to decide whether the Fine Free Policy will continue permanently. DISCUSSION After the September 2023 City Council discussion, staff executed various steps to roll out the Fine Free Policy and begin tracking data on its implementation. The following is a summary of the actions taken and their outcomes. Steps Taken to Implement the Fine-Free Policy 1.System Updates and Fine Waivers •September 30, 2023: All necessary updates to the Polaris Integrated Library System (Polaris), which manages the library collections and 2 Library Board 03/11/2025 Regular Meeting Page 3 circulation, were completed to designate Moorpark City Library as a fine - free institution. • October 3, 2023: The first wave of overdue fine waivers was initiated, targeting patrons who owed only overdue fines and no other fees related to lost items, collection agency, and printing, etc. This step resulted in the clearing of fines for 6,981 patrons. Each Patron account for which a fine was cleared, was documented with a note: "Moorpark is fine-free – your overdue fines have been cleared!" • October 4, 2023: A second wave of fine waivers was carried out that focused on waiving overdue fines for patrons who also owed other fees, such as lost items, collection agency fees, and overdue printing fees. This second wave affected an additional 1,411 accounts. In total, 8,392 patrons received overdue fine waivers totaling $61,810.67. Of these patrons, 3,781 accounts were unblocked and could resume library services. However, although overdue fines were waived, fees for lost items, collection agency and printing, remain on the accounts. Other than lost item fees, the Library charges no other fees that would block an account. • A note of clarification: At the September 2023 City Council meeting, staff requested approval to waive $61,810.67 in uncollected overdue fines (late fines). This data was collected on August 25, 2023. At that time, it was estimated that approximately 2,934 accounts were blocked due to overdue fines and was based on a report run through April 2022. However, in October 2023, the fine waiver process was completed, and the actual number of blocked accounts was determined to be 3,781. The increase in blocked accounts is attributable to the fact that the initial estimate only included overdue fines through April 2022. However, during this time additional accounts accrued fines leading up to the implementation of the Fine Free Policy that implementation in September 2023, resulting in a higher final number. The waiver of overdue fines in October 2023 resolved these blocks, reflecting the updated total. 2. Communication and Outreach • October 5, 2023: A "cleanup" of 4,080 billable emails was conducted using the NeverBounce service, which validated 1,779 emails. • November 1, 2023: An email notification was sent to the 1,779 valid accounts informing them of the Fine Free Policy and the clearing of their overdue fines. The email campaign had a 59% open rate, with 1,049 recipients opening the email. • November 7, 2023: Digital vendors, such as Overdrive and Kanopy, were contacted to remove restrictions on all patron accounts for these services. • Additional efforts since October 2024: Announcements in the Winter Recreation Guide and Solid Waste Bill. Participation in community events such as the Country Days Parade, Haunted High Street and Holiday on High Street, where free books were distributed to promote home libraries 3 Library Board 03/11/2025 Regular Meeting Page 4 and the Fine Free Policy. Updates to the website to make the policy more straightforward. 3. Patron Cleanup • As part of ongoing maintenance, a cleanup was conducted to remove patrons with expired accounts who had not visited the library in the last three years. Of the 8,392 patrons who benefited from the fine waivers, 5,826 were removed from the system due to inactivity (not using the library for three or more years). Of the remaining 2,566 patrons, 271 (or 10.5%) have used the library in the last year. Pandemic Impact on Library Services - In 2020, Moorpark City Library faced various significant service changes due to the pandemic, significantly affecting patron borrowing behavior. The impact of the pandemic and the resulting service adjustments had far greater effects that are still being seen today. With physical spaces inaccessible during the pandemic, the Library pivoted to expand digital resources and virtual services, leading to a surge in demand for e-books, audiobooks, and streaming media. Since the pandemic, circulation for adults and young adults continues to trend towards digital formats, with e-circulation for Fiscal Year 2023/24 growing by 14%, while overall physical, material circulation had trended down. However, as discussed below, in the current FY 2024/25, the circulation of physical materials is trending upwards. Measuring the Success of the Fine Free Policy During the October update, the City Council requested that staff explore the metrics used by other Ventura County libraries to assess the success of their fine -free programs. In response, staff reached out to fine-free libraries within Ventura County, as well as libraries in Arcadia, Palmdale, Glendora, and Carlsbad. Findings indicate that, in most cases, these libraries are not actively tracking specific metrics to evaluate the impact of their fine- free policies. Generally, they have reported no significant increases in wait times, delays in material returns, or losses in their collections. Instead, they have framed the initiative as enhancing library services and prioritizing equitable access to materials for all patrons. Given the absence of standardized metrics among peer institutions, staff has identified the following key areas that Moorpark City Library can use to measure the success of its fine-free program: Blocked Accounts and Lost Materials: Reducing blocked accounts can indicate responsible patron behavior and mitigate concerns about indefinitely losing or keeping library materials. If accounts remain unblocked, it suggests that users are generally returning their materials on time, as it takes 28 days before an account is blocked due to overdue materials. A review of other Ventura County libraries found that, on average, 2% of accounts are blocked. For Moorpark City Library, achieving a comparable or lower percentage would be considered a measure of success. Similarly, the number of lost materials as compared to circulating items is another metric of success. Based on trends 4 Library Board 03/11/2025 Regular Meeting Page 5 currently seen at the library, while 0% lost items would be ideal, less than 1% of circulating items lost would be a measure of success. Circulation and Returns: The average time a patron keeps a checked -out item can indicate whether materials are being returned promptly, while circulation reflects overall library material usage. No change in the average return time and increased circulation would indicate success in this area as it would maintain current service levels and demonstrate neutral impact/no negative impact. Time to Fill holds: The average time to fill a hold, which applies to the library’s most popular materials, indicates their availability to patrons. Since most items can be checked out for up to 21 days, a hold fulfillment time shorter than this checkout period would be considered a success, as it suggests that popular materials are circulating efficiently and reaching patrons more quickly. Financial Impact: Maintaining fiscal stability is essential for the library to continue providing valuable services and resources to the community. Policies without negative financial impact or contributing positively to the library’s fiscal health would be considered successful in this area. Fine Free Success Discussion Blocked Accounts: The number of patrons with blocked accounts fluctuates daily, with lost item replacement fees assessed 28 days after the due date. The transition to a fine - free model significantly reduced the number of blocked accounts. Following City Council approval of the Fine Free Policy in September, 2023, and the associated account clean- up, 3,781 patron accounts were unblocked, restoring access to library services. As of August 2024, 155 accounts remained blocked due to lost items, decreasing to 59 by February 2025. This represents just 1% of total users, below the 2% reported by the Ventura County Library system. The continued decline in blocked accounts and stable return rates suggests that patrons act responsibly even without the deterring fines. Circulation and Returns: Since implementing the Fine Free Policy, the average length of time a patron keeps a checked-out item has increased by three days and remained steady. However, this increase is consistent with the length of time patrons are keeping materials at other local libraries and has not caused a significant disruption to the patron experience. Prior to the pandemic, 91% of the collection was returned on time or renewed by the due date, compared to 75% post-pandemic. This figure includes the years when Year Number of Blocked Accounts % of Blocked Accounts 2022 161 3% 2023 155 2.9% 2024 114 2.17% 5 Library Board 03/11/2025 Regular Meeting Page 6 fines were not charged as well as the period when fines were reinstated in 2022. Total circulation in FY 2024/2025 has increased by 4% compared to the previous year. Circulation of children's materials has grown by 5%, while young adult (teen) materials have seen a 13% increase. Circulation Physical Circulation Electronic Circulation Total Circulation Fiscal Year 24-25 23-24 24-25 23-24 24-25 23-24 July 7,239 7,541 1,248 1,011 8,487 8,552 August 6,431 7,240 1,237 950 7,668 8,190 September 6,277 6,779 1,568 1,027 7,845 7,806 October 7,475 6,728 1,184 1,020 8,659 7,748 November 6,616 6,464 1,278 959 7,894 7,423 December 6,465 5,351 1,291 844 7,756 6,195 January 6,390 6,103 1,458 1,284 7,848 7,387 February 6,316 5,572 1,282 1,111 7,598 6,683 YTD 53,209 51,778 10,546 8,206 63,755 59,984 Circulation by Collection Children's Young Adults Adult Fiscal Year 24-25 23-24 24-25 23-24 24-25 23-24 July 4,646 5,018 634 621 1,842 1,832 August 4,007 4,824 545 472 1,763 1,855 September 3,839 4,601 615 405 1,727 1,684 October 5,274 4,645 510 412 1,670 1,575 November 4,773 4,336 392 351 1,431 1,667 December 4,465 3,272 407 417 1,575 1,552 January 4,224 3,757 535 525 1,621 1,752 February 4,321 2,738 429 319 1,561 1,245 YTD 35,549 33,191 4,067 3,522 13,190 13,162 Time to Fill Holds: Holds are placed on materials when a patron wants to be the next person to borrow the material. Holds are often used for the more popular, newer materials. Although the time a patron keeps a checked -out item has increased, the average wait time to fulfill a hold has only marginally increased. Pre-pandemic, the wait time was 10.13 days. Over the past year, this wait time slightly increased to 10.93 days. 6 Library Board 03/11/2025 Regular Meeting Page 7 Since October 2024, there has been a slight decrease to 10.58 days. The slight increase in wait times pre-pandemic compared to associated decrease in wait times for holds since 2024, indicates that circulation efficiency generally remains unaffected as the wait time fluctuations year-over-year are marginal. Lost Library Materials: Since the resumption of fines after the pandemic, the number of patrons who have blocked accounts due to lost or unreturned materials has stayed fairly steady at 3%. This also aligns with what other Fine Free Libraries see within Ventura County. The County library system generally has approximately 2% of users blocked due to lost materials and Thousand Oaks Library has about 3% of users blocked due to lost materials. When looking at the effects of lost materials on circulation, between September 2023 and August 2024, the library circulated 75,803 items (unique checkouts and renewed items). During that time 332 items were marked as lost, representing 0.44% of circulated items. Between October 2024 and February 2025, the library circulated 33,262 items , and during that time, 138 items were marked as lost, representing 0.41% of circulated items. Financial Impact: The Fine Free Policy has reduced revenues related to fines for the Moorpark City Library. Prior to going fine free, the revenue received from Fines and Fees fluctuated between $13,000 and $12,000 annually, with the bulk of that amount from overdue fines. This trend continued until the start of the pandemic, when fines were suspended. However, the cost of staff time to collect the fines equals 50%, or more, of the fine revenue. For example, in FY 2018-19, library staff spent 572 hours—at a cost of $8,549 in wages—to collect $10,849 in fines. In 2019, the Moorpark City Library implemented automatic renewals to help reduce overdue fines and the subsequent costs to collect them. This system automatically extends the due date for eligible items by one additional two-week period, reducing fines that result from patrons forgetting to renew their materials. After auto-renewals were implemented in FY 2019-20, staff time spent on fine collection dropped to 239 hours, but still cost $3,568 to collect $6,174 in fines. Despite the reduction in the fine revenue, the loss of the fine revenue has had no impact on programs or services. In fact, the hours spent collecting fines are being used to assist patrons, enhance library services, and develop programs that enrich the community. By eliminating fines, the library reallocated this staff time toward more impactful services, directly benefiting patrons and increasing engagement. These enhanced library services have contributed to higher attendance and community participation, reinforcing the library as an inclusive and welcoming space. By eliminating fines, patrons feel more comfortable returning borrowed materials and engaging with library programs, leading to increased foot traffic and program awareness. Attendance across all age groups has risen, with children’s participation increasing by 11%, teens by 94%, adults by 19%, and all-ages programs by 72%. The shift has also simplified the borrowing process, reducing patron anxiety and making library services more accessible. 7 Library Board 03/11/2025 Regular Meeting Page 8 Additionally, staff hours previously spent on fine collection have been redirected toward program development and community engagement, further enhancing the overall patron experience. These additional hours have allowed staff to focus on encouraging broader participation, particularly among families and underserved populations, and has contributed to a record-high increase in teen volunteer hours—up 104.82% from 2023 to 2024. The Teen Advisory Group (TAG) has transitioned to a self -driven model, empowering teens to lead programs and organize events. At the same time, volunteer - driven initiatives such as Golden Grades Tutoring and Reading Buddies have fostered leadership and mentorship opportunities. Increased program attendance has strengthened partnerships with community organizations, allowing for joint initiatives such as the #PlantWildflowers campaign, NASA@MyLibrary programs, Triple P Parenting Workshops, and school outreach efforts. The library has expanded dynamic programming by reallocating staff hours to more impactful community services, including ASL storytelling, Social Emotional Learning and Yoga, Music & Movement, and LEGO Robotics. These initiatives enhance the library’s educational impact and build strong community connections, creating a vibrant and engaging atmosphere for all patrons. To further illustrate the Moorpark City Library’s fiscal stability, below is a table of expenses and revenue associated with the library over the last 10 fiscal years. Expenses noted below include not only library staffing, programming, technology, and materials but also facilities-related expenses. By and large, library revenues outpace expenses yearly, averaging a 4% increase. This is because the library is funded with an allocation of property tax that is subject to increases as assessed value increases. The continued fiscal stability of the Library is important to continue to provide quality free programming, services, and materials to the Moorpark Community. As evidenced by the expense and revenue history, the library is currently meeting and exceeding the metric for fiscal stability. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Receive and file report. 23/24 1,113,973.35$ 23/24 1,346,233.72$ 22/23 1,035,900.80$ 22/23 1,283,787.04$ 21/22 976,243.35$ 21/22 1,096,370.39$ 20/21 876,815.52$ 20/21 1,070,519.52$ 19/20 875,444.71$ 19/20 1,111,679.83$ 18/19 913,300.03$ 18/19 1,052,500.36$ 17/18 952,934.73$ 17/18 993,903.24$ 16/17 855,361.58$ 16/17 966,765.03$ 15/16 916,298.00$ 15/16 941,083.42$ 14/15 868,534.39$ 14/15 881,536.88$ ACTUAL EXPENSES ACTUAL REVENUE 8 Library Board 03/11/2025 Regular Meeting Page 9 ATTACHMENTS: 1 – Library Board Agenda Report – February 2022 2 - Moorpark City Council Report – September 2023 9 CITY OF MOORPARK MOORPARK LIBRARY BOARD AGENDA REPORT TO: Moorpark Library Board FROM: Jessica Sandifer, Community Services Manager & Christine Conwell, City Library DATE: 02/08/2022 (Regular Meeting) SUBJECT: Consider Fine Free Library Program at Moorpark City Library BACKGROUND Throughout the United States, libraries are recognizing that fines for overdue materials returned late are a barrier to the public accessing library materials and early learning opportunities. At least 400 libraries across the Country have transitioned to a fine free model, according to the Urban Libraries Council. Major cities that have gone fine free include Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Oakland, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle, to name a few. Locally, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and the Ventura County Library System have gone fine free. Removing overdue fines for materials will attract customers who may not be using the library due to overdue fines. Furthermore, studies show that overdue fines disproportionately impact low -income library patrons, who tend to use the library at a higher frequency to access resources like computers or high-speed internet that they are unable to supply with their limited incomes. DISCUSSION Staff has been studying implementing a Fine Free Program at the Moorpark City Library (MCL). The following benefits can be achieved by implementing such a program: •Increase patron access to materials and services: A Fine Free Program would attract patrons back to the library who may not be using the library due to overdue fines. Overdue fines lead to blocked accounts which dissuade users from using the library. Currently about 5,000 Moorpark Library accounts are blocked. When the fine free program is implemented, it is recommended that all past overdue fines be cleared from all blocked accounts. Once the overdue fines are cleared under the fine free program approximately 2,300 of the currently blocked users could immediately return to the library and begin using resources. ITEM: 7.B. Attachment: 1 10 Library Board 02/08/2022 Regular Meeting Page 2 • Optimize library staff time and increase efficiency: Collecting overdue fines impacts staff time. In 2019, the MCL implemented automatic renewals, in an effort to reduce the amount of overdue fines. Automatic renewals automatically renew overdue items for one additional two-week period, reducing fines based on patrons not renewing their checked-out materials. But even with the implementation of autorenewals it costs at a minimum 50% of the fine revenue to collect it. As an example in FY 2018/19 MCL staff spent 572 hours in staff time at a cost of $8,549 to collect $10,849 in fines. In FY 2019/20, after auto-renewals were implemented, MCL staff spent 239 hours and $3,568 in staffing to collect $6,174 in fines. The hours spent collecting overdue fines could have been spent assisting library patrons or planning and conducting library programming. • Encourages the return of library materials so that many items don’t have to be re- purchased: Often times patrons just choose to hold on to the materials, rather than returning them and dealing with the fine. In these instances, patrons are charged the overdue fines in addition to the replacement cost of the item. Among librarie s that have gone fine free, they report an increase in the number of items returned to the library and increases in lost items returned to the library. Chicago reported a 240% increase in book returns within the first month of going fine free. High Plains Library district in Colorado saw an increase in circulation and 95% of their materials returned within one week of the original due date. • Provides for equity and inclusion for all library patrons: As mentioned fines and fees disproportionately affect low-income library patrons. In Moorpark, it is no different. The neighborhoods in the city that have the highest number of blocked accounts also happen to be the areas that have a lower median income by almost half of the median income of the City. ($6 2,956, as compared to the City Median income of $112,842). Approximately 34% of blocked accounts come from a census tract with lower median household incomes. Overdue library fine revenues over the last three fiscal years prior to the pandemic averaged $10,794 with most of the revenue taken up by staff time attempting to collect the fines. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in recognition of the economic hardships of the pandemic, library overdue fines have been suspended so the library budget has been operating for two years without benefit of this revenue. As mentioned earlier, as part of the implementation of the Fine Free Program staff is also recommending waiving all overdue fines currently on the books. Currently, library patrons accrue overdue fines until the book is returned. If the book remains overdue for 28 days it is considered lost. Patrons accrue overdue fines until the item is returned or deemed lost. Once deemed lost the patron then accrues the replacement book cost in addition to the overdue fines. Under current policy, accounts are blocked once they reach a $5 minimum overdue fine. However, accounts are not sent to collections until they reach a minimum of $50. Since very few accounts reach the $50 minimum, very few accounts achieve successful collection. Since 2007, the MCL has accrued a balance of uncollected 11 Library Board 02/08/2022 Regular Meeting Page 3 overdue fines totaling $57,171, an average of $11.43 per blocked account, which does not reach the $50 minimum to qualify for collection. Collection is only conducted on an account-by-account basis, so even though the total balance exceeds $50, the fact the individual accounts do not exceed the $50 makes them ineligible for collection. Although fine free would do away with overdue library fees, it would not eliminate fees for lost or damaged materials. Patrons would still be required to pay for these materials consistent with adopted library policies. Once an item is deemed lost (after 28 days) those accounts would become blocked and a replacement fee charged to their account. In this scenario, patrons would be unable use the library. Unlike now, where the Patron has to pay the overdue fines and return the item to unblock their account, with Fine Free the patron would simply need to bring the material back to the library, and no fines or replacement fees would be due in order to restore their access to the library. If approved by the City Council, staff proposes to continue to suspend overdue fines, and implement the fine free library policy effective July 1, 2022 with the start of the new fiscal year. Attached to this report is a redline version of the Library Policies and Procedures , removing the overdue fines. The City Council’s adopted fee resolution would also be updated to remove the overdue fines. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Recommend approval of implementation of a Fine Free Library policy to the Moorpark City Council, including waiver of all overdue fines. Attachment – Redline Changes for Fine Free Policy 12 ATTACHMENT: 7.B. Redline Changes for Fine Free ATTACHMENT REDLINE CHANGES FOR FINE FREE POLICY Policy 6.18: Moorpark City Library Circulation The following policy governs the terms by which materials may be borrowed from the Moorpark City Library (Library). 1. Library Card Registration Any person residing in California may borrow materials free of charge from the Library. Cardholders are responsible for all material checked out on their card. The Moorpark City Library Card application may be revised from time to time. Changes will be submitted by the City Librarian and reviewed and approved by the City Representative before changes are implemented. Library Card applications shall be made available in both English and Spanish. Library Cards for Adults. Any person 18 years of age or older applying for a Library card must show proof of identity and residence. Post office boxes are acceptable as mailing addresses; however, proof of residence is required to obtain a card. Acceptable identification may be any of the followi ng: A. California driver’s license B. California identification card C. Check imprinted with name and address D. Official mail (postmarked with current address) E. Current bill imprinted with name and address F. Current monthly rent receipt G. Tax payment receipt Restricted Temporary Library Cards for Teenagers without Parental or Legal Guardian Signature. Patrons 12 years of age through 17 years of age are classified as teenagers in this policy. Teenagers do not need a parent’s or legal guardian’s signature to get a restricted, temporary, one -time use card; however, a parent or legal guardian must sign the application in person, in the presence of Library staff, for the teenager to obtain their permanent card, which allows continued checkout of material, use of the public computers, and the ability to check out media (DVDs, etc.). In order to obtain a temporary, one -time use card, 13 ATTACHMENT: 7.B. Redline Changes for Fine Free the teenager must be a Moorpark resident or attend a Moorpark school. To obtain their temporary card, the teenager must present a picture ID verifying residency or attendance at a Moorpark school. The temporary, one -time use card allows teenagers to check out two written material items only. Library staff will provide the teenager with a letter for their parent or legal guardian which explains the temporary card. Library Cards for Children. All children are eligible to become a library cardholder with the understanding that the child’s parent or legal guardian agrees to take responsibility for maintaining the child’s account in good standing. Good standing includes the return of materials borrowed on the account, and resolving any associated late fees, item damage, or any other charges. The signature of a parent or legal guardian, in person at the Library, i s required on applications of children under 12 years of age and for permanent library cards for youth ages 12 through 17. Once the library card application is signed, the cardholder agrees to follow the rules and regulations of the Library. New cardhol ders are limited to borrowing two items on the first day the card is used. When those items are returned, the cardholder may borrow with full privileges as long as their account is in good standing. 2. Confidentiality of Library Records California State law (Government Code, Title I, Division 7, Chapter 3.5, Sections 6254 (j) and 6267) protects the confidentiality of library patrons. Library staff will always operate in a manner that conforms to the requirements of the law in the handling of cardholder records and accounts. According to this statute, Library staff may not release information to any other party regarding any item borrowed by any other person, including information released to a parent or legal guardian regarding what items their child ha s checked out. As permitted by the above-cited statute, Library staff may release information on a cardholder’s account to a third party if the cardholder has provided a written notice allowing the third party access to the cardholder’s account informati on. A cardholder may authorize another party to pick up and check out materials by sending his or her library card along with the written request or notice with the third party. Cardholders may elect to associate their Library card account with that of another cardholder for purposes of learning what items are checked out on the associated card, to receive notice that the associated card has fees, or to pick up holds. The request to associate cards must be made in person at the Library, both cardholders must be present to associate cards, and both cardholders must have their library cards with them. Requests for another patron to pick up holds without an authorized association noted on the account will not be honored. 14 ATTACHMENT: 7.B. Redline Changes for Fine Free Demographic information may be gathered in order to plan Library services. This information is used anonymously and is not disclosed in any way that would identify the person registering. All information provided on the registration form is protected by the statute cited above. 3. Non-Resident Cardholders Persons residing outside of the State of California may obtain a Library card by paying a non-resident fee as determined by resolution of the City Council. Payment of this fee will entitle the cardholder to the same borrowing privileges enjoyed by all other Library card holders. 4. Loan Periods The Moorpark City Library Fine and Fee Schedule is available online at moorparklibrary.org and at the Library Circulation Desk , and includes the loan periods. For purposes of this policy, new bestseller material shall remain in that category no longer than three (3) months. There is a checkout limit of 30 total items per Moorpark cardholder. Item Type Maximum Limit Loan Period Renewals – see below Books, Audiobooks 30 3 weeks 1 DVDs 10 1 week 1 Discovery Kits 1 3 weeks 1 Electronic Materials Varies Varies Varies Materials checked out at Moorpark City Library that belong to other consortium libraries shall follow the lending policy of the owning library, not the Moorpark City Library lending policy. Cardholders may review their accounts online or phone the library to check loan periods or renewal capability. Reference materials must be used in the Library and are not available for checkout. These materials may be loaned to other libraries for in -library use only. 5. Renewals All Moorpark Library items will auto-renew one time for the standard loan period for the item unless the item is on hold for another cardholder. At the completion of the renewal period, Cardholders must return the item to the library . to avoid incurring late fees. 6. Number of Items per Library Card Formatted: Level 2 15 ATTACHMENT: 7.B. Redline Changes for Fine Free Reference the Moorpark City Library Fine and Fee Schedule for details regarding borrowing limitations and fines and fees. 7. Holds and Suggestions for Purchase Holds may be placed to reserve items by completing a hold request form on the online catalog. Cardholders will be notified via e -mail or by phone when items are available. Items will be held for one week from the date of notification to the cardholder. Items not owned by the Moorpark Library may be requested from other consortium libraries through the shared library catalog. Library cardholders are also welcome to fill out a “Suggestion for Purchase” form, available at the library or on -line at the library website. A librarian will review each of these suggestions. 8. Overdue, Lost, and Damaged Material Cardholders assume full responsibility for the return of materials, in good condition, on or before the due date noted on the receipt provided at check out. No overdue fines are charged. Fees accrue for each day the Library is open. Fees vary by item type. There are two outside item return bin has two compartmentss; one for books and one for media (CDs, DVDs, Audio Books, etc.). Patrons are advised to return media to the circulation desk or place media in the media designated book drop. Patrons will be charged for media materials that have be en damaged from being returned in the book drop marked for books. Library cardholders assume full responsibility for loss or damage to materials they check out. Damage includes, but is not limited to, stained and/or torn covers or pages, writing in or on materials, liquid damage, missing pages, missing pieces, scratched discs, and dirty or damaged cases or damaged parts. Charges for materials lost or damaged beyond repair will be the price shown in the Library’s automated catalog, either the actual cost or a default cost for the type of item plus a processing fee (reference the Moorpark City Library Fine and Fee Schedule), and accrued overdue fees (if applicable). In the cases of unusual circumstances, it will be left to the City Librarian under directio n of the City Representative to assess charges for lost or damaged materials other than as specified by the Moorpark City Library Fine and Fee Schedule. In lieu of paying for a lost item, a cardholder may replace the lost material with like material of equal or greater quality if the replacement item fulfills collection development criteria. The City Librarian has final authority to determine the acceptability of the substitute item. The cardholder is still responsible for the processing fee and any overdue fees accrued. Charges for damaged materials 16 ATTACHMENT: 7.B. Redline Changes for Fine Free that can be repaired will be determined on a case -by-case basis by the City Librarian under the direction of the City Representative. It is the responsibility of the cardholder to return borrowed items on time. Overdue notification is done as a courtesy only. Overdue items are considered lost 30 days after the due date and applicable fees will be assessed. If an item has been determined lost and the patron has paid the required fee, but is able to locate and return the item in good condition within 30 days of paying the lost item fee, a refund for the cost of the lost item will be processed. No refunds for lost items will be processed after 30 days have passed. Cardholders are advised to keep check out receipts and verify item due dates on their online account as they are responsible for all fees whether or not they receive a courtesy notice. If approved by the City Representative, Cardholder accounts with fees totaling $5.00 or more or with currently overdue items will be prevented from checking out new items will be suspended and blocked from further use until fees are paid. In financial hardship cases, the City Librarian may work with the cardholder to provide an alternate payment plan and will note s uch arrangements on the cardholder record for tracking purposes. 9. Recovering Overdue Materials The Library sends courtesy overdue notices to a cardholder, via email or text message, 14 days after an item is due. At 28 days after the item is due, a sec ond notice and bill is sent to the cardholder requesting that either: 1) the item be returned and fees paid; or 2) the cardholder can pay the cost of the item, which shall be identified as lost, plus a processing fee established by Resolution of the City Council. At 14 days following the second notice, delinquent accounts with a value of over $50.00 shall be referred by the City to a collection agency. 17 MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT TO: Honorable City Council FROM: Jessica Sandifer, Deputy Parks and Recreation Director DATE: 09/06/2023 Regular Meeting SUBJECT: Consider Fine Free Policy at Moorpark City Library and Waiver of Accrued Library Fines SUMMARY Staff is bringing this item to the City Council for discussion of the Fine Free Policy at the Moorpark City Library and is requesting City Council approval to waive $61,810.67 in accrued library overdue fines. For comparison purposes, a fine free program is like the original Netflix DVD program. Patrons check items out, when they are done with them, they return them. If items are not returned, patrons are prohibited from checking more items out, but once the item is returned, they are then allowed to continue to check out items. If an item is permanently lost, patrons are charged and must pay the replacement cost of the item before continuing to check out materials. The implementation of the Fine Free Policy increases equitable access to Moorpark City Library materials and resources for all library patrons and frees up valuable staff time that can be better spent on assisting library patrons and planning programs and events. BACKGROUND When the City took over Library operations from the County of Ventura, all policies related to the library, including the Circulation Policy resided within the City Council Policies resolution. At that time policies for the library were developed by staff, and reviewed by the Library Board, and added to the City Council policies resolution. Any subsequent changes or amendments to those policies were taken to the Library Board and, if recommended by the Library Board, the changes were included in updates to the City Council policy resolution. Item: 9.B. Attachment: 2 18 In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many changes to administrative policies were implemented to encourage participation in government services and enhance accessibility while at the same time encouraging social distancing. The Fine Free Policy was first initiated at the Moorpark City Library in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In consideration of potential hardships of library patrons due to the pandemic, the City Manager initiated a halt on collection and accrual of overdue fines and fees under his emergency authority. During the pandemic many library systems began going fine free, which prompted City staff to explore the issue further. In February 2022, the Library Board, as the legislative body responsible for review of library policies and procedures, considered whether or not it was appropriate to implement a Fine Free Policy at the Moorpark City Library. The Board recommended moving forward with the Fine Free Policy. Prior to staff calendaring the item for further consideration by the City Council, the City Council approved the incorporation of certain policies into the Administrative Policies Manual (APM). The APM document contains all the policies determined to be not a City Council policy matter. These polices were removed from the City Council Policies resolution and are now managed by the individual departments. In May 2022, former City Council Policy 6.18 - Moorpark City Library Circulation was moved to the APM, which gave the Parks and Recreation Director the authority to approve policy changes, in consultation with the City Manager. Since the Library Board had previously concurred with the implementation of a Fine Free Policy, and after discussion with the City Manager, the Parks and Recreation Director approved the full implementation of the Fine Free Policy at the Library. Following that decision, a new Fine and Fee Resolution was taken to the City Council in April 2023 which, consistent with the new Policy approved by the Parks and Recreation Director, removed library fines from the fine and fee schedule. Although the policy change halted overdue fines there is still a balance of accrued, overdue fines in the amount of $61,810.67. As discussed in more detail below, there are a significant number of blocked patron accounts due to these overdue fines. Blocked patron accounts do not have use of library resources which require a valid library card to access such as books and other materials, instrument loan program, and electronic book and movie databases. Waiver of these overdue fines would allow these blocked patrons to come back and use the full breadth of library resources. Pursuant to City Council direction at the May 17, 2023, City Council meeting, staff is now bringing the Fine Free Policy to the City Council for discussion and approval of the waiver of the accrued overdue fines. DISCUSSION Fine Free Library Throughout the United States, libraries are recognizing that fines for overdue materials returned late are a barrier to the public accessing library materials and resources. In 19 addition to not being able to access library materials, the stigma associated with the fines or overdue material keeps patrons with blocked accounts or fines from returning to the Library. To reduce these barriers, 400 libraries across the Country have transitioned to a fine free model, according to the Urban Libraries Council (ULC).1 ULC publishes a map of all of the library systems that have implemented Fine Free Policies across the country. In addition to the location of the library system, the map publishes each library systems reason for implementing fine free policies. Providing equitable access was among the most often stated reason cited by the various library systems on why they made the move to fine free. Below are some snippets from various libraries in California: • “By eliminating fines, economic barriers are removed, and patrons can rediscover all that their library has to offer.” – Thousand Oaks Public Library • “Eliminating access barriers, encouraging new patronage” – Simi Valley Library • “This move is part of our efforts to improve equity of access. While fines for overdue items may seem like a small burden, they can create a major barrier to service for those who are struggling financially. Too many people have made the choice to stop using the Library because of inability to pay or fear of accruing fines. -Burbank Public Library • “Santa Barbara Public Library’s mission is to best serve its community and provide equitable access to all, and overdue fines were in opposition to this goal,” – Santa Barbara Public Library • “Our purpose is to be a free public library, with free being the active word there….The policy came about as we were looking at the number of cardholders that we had blocked right now—we had over 800 children's cards blocked—and we felt like that was not serving our mission.” – San Luis Obispo County Library Locally, 16 of the 21 libraries in Ventura County have eliminated fines. This includes the Ventura County Library System (12 libraries serving the cities of Ventura, Fillmore, Ojai, Port Hueneme plus unincorporated Oak Park, Piru and Saticoy), Thousand Oaks Library System (two libraries serving Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park), Simi Valley (one library) and Santa Paula (one library).2 The City of Moorpark is in a distinct minority of local libraries still charging fees which includes Camarillo (one library), who is currently considering Fine Free, and Oxnard (three libraries). Furthermore, the nearby Agoura Hills and Westlake Village libraries (both part of the Los Angeles County Library System)3 and City of Calabasas Library (one library) are also fine free. 1 Fine Free Map https://www.urbanlibraries.org/initiatives/democracy/fine-free-map 2 https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/communities/conejo-valley/2021/07/12/fine-free-thousand-oaks- libraries-latest-ventura-county-end-late-fees/7889989002/ 3 https://lacountylibrary.org/fine-free/ 20 Studies also show that overdue fines disproportionately impact low-income library patrons, who tend to use the library at a higher frequency to access resources like computers or high-speed internet that they are unable to supply with their limited incomes. Removing overdue fines for materials is intended to encourage new patrons who may not be using the library because of the overdue fines or fear of accruing them. When discussing whether or not to eliminate overdue fines, there are generally several reasons used to justify maintaining overdue fines. The three reasons cited most frequently are discussed below. The data provided in this report was pulled from the report “Overdue Fines: Advantages, Disadvantages, and How Eliminating them can benefit public libraries.”4 • Fines ensure materials are returned on time, making borrowing fair. The basis of this assumption is that fines remind patrons to return materials on time. Unfortunately, no academic study or other analysis has been conducted that supports this assumption, so there is no hard data to refer to as to whether the imposition of fines leads to materials being returned on time. Conversely, when self-reporting their experiences after going fine free, many fine free libraries saw a reduction in late returns when fines were eliminated. In one frequently cited study of public libraries, researchers Hansel and Burgin noted, that they observed “no significant difference in overdue rates between libraries that charged fines and those that did not.” The fact that fines make borrowing fair is also subjective and dependent upon the viewpoint of the patron. The argument is that fines ensure that all borrowers return their books, ensuring equal access to all patrons. This viewpoint assumes that everyone is able to pay fines and that imposing fines makes the system fair. But when viewed through the viewpoint of the economically disadvantaged, once fines are assessed, the disproportionate impact fines have on patrons who cannot afford to pay those fines, skews that idea of fairness. In this instance, fines only really ensure return of materials by those patrons who can afford to pay. • Fines teach civic responsibility. It is often assumed that returning a library book late demonstrates a library users’ irresponsibility and/or lack of respect for other patrons. Fines are used as a way to punish users for this irresponsibility or incentivize users to return the materials on time, but it does not consider that often otherwise responsible people, have family challenges or generally busy lives, and the late return of a library book is more often a common mistake that people make, rather than a play to take advantage of a system or deprive other patrons of materials. The argument also demonstrates a misunderstanding of the Fine Free program. While daily overdue fines are eliminated, fine free programs do not eliminate all means of financial consequences for returning materials. When 4 Unrein, Sabrina. (2020). “Overdue Fines: Advantages, Disadvantages, and How Eliminating Them Can Benefit Public Libraries.” Syracuse, NY: iSchool Public Libraries Initiative at Syracuse University. https://ischool.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Overdue-Fines-Advantages-Disadvantages-and-How- Eliminating-Them-Can-Benefit-Public-Libraries.pdf 21 patrons fail to return the item within a given time frame, they are sent a bill for replacement of the item. Oftentimes, the bill for the replacement of the item, which is generally higher than the maximum overdue fine, is still enough incentive to elicit the return of the materials. As a result, removal of the overdue fines results in more flexibility in book returns but does not remove all patron responsibility. • Fines Supplement the Library’s Budget. For the Moorpark City Library, overdue library fine revenues over the last three fiscal years prior to the pandemic averaged $10,794. As will be discussed in more detail below, collecting this revenue involves staff time attempting to collect the fines, which removes staff from assisting patrons in the library and reduces their ability to focus on other programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in recognition of the economic hardships of the pandemic, library overdue fines were suspended, and the library budget has been operating since without benefit of this revenue. The lack of fine revenue has had no impact on the Library’s Operational Funding. When discussing elimination of fines, there are several benefits with a Fine Free Program. These benefits, and their applicability to Moorpark library patrons are discussed below: • Provides for equity and inclusion and increases patron access to materials and services: Where there is a lack of evidence supporting the use of Fines, that does not hold true when it comes to evidence suggesting that fines disproportionately affect low-income library patrons. While a fine might seem like a small penalty for some, paying $6 to be able to return a library book can adversely impact low- income families. Research conducted in Seattle and San Francisco noted that higher proportions of their blocked accounts came from areas of the City that were poorer and more diverse than the city as whole. Generally, lower income families have less disposable income making it more difficult for them to pay fines. The fines restrict access to library materials, which impacts lower income families, who do not have the funds to purchase books or other materials. Fines have also been shown to affect a patrons library behavior. Some library users do not check out books at all, for fear of incurring the fine. In Moorpark, statistics related to blocked accounts impacting patrons living in lower income areas is no different. Of the 5,086 blocked accounts, approximately 4,477 are within City limits. Below is a description of blocked accounts broken down by District. (This is an estimate since the census tracts do not align perfectly with our Districts): District 1 - 663 blocked accounts District 2 - 852 blocked accounts District 3 - 843 blocked accounts District 4 - 2,119 blocked accounts 22 As noted, among the blocked accounts within City limits, 47% of blocked accounts fall within District 4 and of those, 37% (1637) are in just two census tracts, 76.11 and 76.12 which have lower median incomes ($86,893 and $78,180, respectively) as compared to the City Median income of $125,915, and the median income of the other census tracts. The below chart shows the disparity between incomes by census tracts in Moorpark: A fine free program can attract patrons back to the library who may not be using the library due to overdue fines or fear of accruing fines. Overdue fines lead to blocked accounts which dissuade users from using the library. Blocked accounts are prohibited from checking out physical materials and accessing resources on the website that require a valid library card and restrict access to the public computers. While patrons with blocked accounts who visit the library are given a temporary card to access the computers, the amount of time they can access the computers is limited to one hour, which can be extended at the terminal if no one is waiting or they would have to wait until another computer becomes available and return to the circulation desk to access more computer time. As mentioned, currently 5,086 Moorpark Library accounts are blocked. If fine free is approved, and the overdue fees are waived, approximately 2,934 of the currently blocked users could immediately return to the library and begin using resources. The remaining patron accounts are blocked due to missing materials and those accounts would continue to be blocked until the materials are returned or the lost item fee is paid. Census Tract Median Income % Below Poverty Line 76.07 169,417.00$ 0.8% 76.09 158,984.00$ 1.2% 76.10 141,596.00$ 3.0% 76.11 86,983.00$ 4.3% 76.12 78,180.00$ 8.2% 76.13 136,750.00$ 4.4% 76.14 120,119.00$ 2.3% 93.00 154,750.00$ 6.4% Median Household Income by Census Tract & % Below Poverty Line (number of people in the tract living below the poverty level divided by the tract’s total population) Source: 2020 Census 23 • Optimize library staff time, increases efficiency, and improve patron relations: For cost efficiency purposes, the Moorpark City Library staffing is run lean, with 7.5 full time equivalent employees provided through the contract with the City’s library operator. Collecting overdue fines impacts that staff time by reducing the amount of time staff can spend with patrons. In 2019, the Moorpark City Library implemented automatic renewals, in an effort to reduce the number of overdue fines. Automatic renewals automatically renew overdue items for one additional two-week period, reducing fines based on patrons not renewing their checked-out materials. But even with the implementation of auto-renewals it costs at a minimum 50% of the fine revenue to collect it. As an example, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018/19 library staff spent 572 hours in staff time at a cost of $8,549 to collect $10,849 in fines. In FY 2019/20, after auto-renewals were implemented, library staff spent 239 hours and $3,568 in staffing to collect $6,174 in fines. As noted by City of Calabasas library staff, the Fine Free program also improves patron relations. Oftentimes, staff spend significant time with a patron who comes in to argue the fine, or request waiver of the fine. Sometimes this can create an uncomfortable experience for other patrons in the Library and further interrupts that staff person’s ability to help other patrons while assisting with the fine issue. Essentially, the hours spent collecting overdue fines or assisting with patrons at the counter, could have been spent assisting other library patrons or planning and conducting library programming. • Encourages the return of library materials so that many items do not have to be re- purchased: Oftentimes patrons just choose to hold on to the materials, rather than returning them and dealing with the fine. In these instances, patrons are charged the overdue fines in addition to the replacement cost of the item. Among libraries that have gone fine free, they report an increase in the number of items returned to the library and increases in lost items returned to the library. Chicago reported a 240% increase in book returns within the first month of going fine free. High Plains Library District in Colorado saw an increase in circulation and 95% of their materials returned within one week of the original due date.5 Staff polled some of the local fine free libraries, regarding their experiences. The City of Calabasas noted that when they notify patrons a book is considered lost, the material is almost always returned immediately. They also noted a general improvement in patron relations. Similarly, the City of Thousand Oaks has noted that they have not seen an increase in materials not being returned because they still have the fees as a consequence of not returning materials. As a point of clarification, overdue fines are the daily charges applied to items not returned by their specified due date. Overdue fines were previously capped at a maximum of $6/item for books and $12/item for audiobooks, DVD’s and videos. Billed-item fees, or 5 Depriest, Meg Johnson. “Removing Barriers to Access: Eliminating Fines and Fees on Children’s Materials.” White paper presented to the Colorado Library Association. Retrieved from http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/removingbarrierstoaccess 24 just fees, are charged for damaged, unreturned, or lost items, as well as processing fees. Library services such as copying, printing, and inter-library loans are also considered fees. The Fine Free Policy proposes to eliminate only the daily overdue charges, it does not eliminate any fees. Fees are charged in the following instances: •Damage to items include ink stains, water damage, removed labels, missing parts, torn pages, and other problems caused by improper care of library materials. Damaged items that require removal from the collection need to be paid for in full. •An item is considered “late” when it is not returned or renewed on or before the due date. Items not returned within 28 days of their due date go to “lost” status and patrons are billed a fee for their replacement. However, if the item is returned the replacement fee, would be waived. •Once an item is deemed lost (after 28 days) those accounts become blocked and patrons are unable to use library services that require a valid library card until they pay the replacement fee or return the item. Although fine free does away with overdue library fines, it does not get rid of fees for lost or damaged materials. Patrons are still required to pay for these materials consistent with adopted library policies, thereby providing a consequence for keeping materials past the due date. Overdue Fine Waiver As part of the discussion on the Fine Free Policy, staff is requesting approval to waive the accrued overdue fines. Prior to the pandemic and implementing the Fine Free Policy, library patrons accrued overdue fines until the book is returned. If the book remained overdue for 28 days, it is considered lost. Once deemed lost, the patron then accrues the replacement book cost in addition to the overdue fines. Under current Policy, accounts are blocked once they reach a $5.00 minimum overdue fine. However, accounts are not sent to collections until they reach a minimum of $50.00. Since very few accounts reach the $50.00 minimum, very few accounts achieve successful collection. Since 2007, the Moorpark City Library has accrued a balance of uncollected overdue fines totaling $61,810.67 across 8,586 patron accounts, which is an average of $7.19 per account. Currently 5,086 of the accounts are blocked meaning they cannot use the library until the fines are paid. These blocked accounts average $14.00 per account which still does not reach the $50.00 minimum to qualify for collection. Collection is only conducted on an account-by-account basis, so even though the total balance exceeds $50.00, the fact the individual accounts do not exceed $50.00 makes them ineligible for collection. To be clear, staff is only requesting waiver of overdue fines, the fees related to lost materials are not requested to be waived. Staff is requesting approval to waive $61,810.67 in uncollected late fines. 25 Staff is supportive of continuing the Fine Free Policy as implemented under the Administrative Policies Manual (PRCS-14). However, if the City Council should direct that the Fine Free Policy be reversed, then staff would return at a future meeting with Amendments to the City Council Policy Resolution, to re-instate the Library Circulation policy as a City Council Policy, and an amendment to the Fine and Fee Resolution, to add Library Fines back into the resolution. ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as it does not constitute a project, as defined by Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Therefore, no further environmental review is required. FISCAL IMPACT The fiscal impact of the fee waiver is minimal. Since the fees have been accruing since 2007, and staff has made every effort to collect these fees throughout this time period, it is highly unlikely that the fees would have ever been collected therefore no financial impact will be felt from waiver of the fines. COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE At the time this action was implemented, it supported the previous City Council Strategic Priority of Equity and Inclusion, Goal 2: Practice Respect, Equity, and Inclusion Citywide. STAFF RECOMMENDATION 1.Provide discussion and direction of implementation of a fine free library; and 2.Approve waiver of $61,810.67 in late fines at the Moorpark City Library. 26