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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2025 0507 CC REG ITEM 09CCITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting of May 7, 2025 ACTION CONSENSUS TO CONTINUE THE EXISITING FINE FREE LIBRARY POLICY. BY A. Hurtado. C. Consider Continuation of Fine Free Policy at Moorpark City Library. Staff Recommendation: Discuss and provide direction to staff on the continuation of Fine Free Library Policy. (Staff: Jessica Sandifer, Deputy Parks and Recreation Director) Item: 9.C. MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT TO: Honorable City Council FROM: Jessica Sandifer, Deputy Parks and Recreation Director BY: Christine Conwell, Library Director, Library Systems & Services DATE: 05/07/2025 Regular Meeting SUBJECT: Consider Continuation of Fine Free Policy at Moorpark City Library BACKGROUND In September 2023, staff presented a report to the City Council requesting waiver of accrued Moorpark City Library (MCL) fines and support of a Fine Free Policy at the MCL. Since its inception in 2007, the MCL had amassed over $60,000 in fines that were deemed uncollectible. In addition, the collection of fines at the MCL had been a drain on staff resources that were better spent in service to MCL patrons and were potentially a barrier to equitable use of MCL materials since not all families have disposable income to pay for fines. Staff researched and found that regionally, libraries had been eliminating fines for similar reasons. The City Council had expressed apprehension regarding discontinuing fines at the MCL primarily due to concern over timely return of physical materials. Ultimately, at the September 2023 meeting, the City Council approved the waiver of the fees and the implementation of the Fine Free Policy and requested an update in one year to determine if there had been any impacts to physical material circulation at the MCL in terms of longer hold times or longer periods of materials being unavailable. Staff presented an update on the Fine Free Policy to the City Council in October 2024. The update included a summary of the actions taken after the City Council approval in September 2023 and their outcomes. Steps Taken to Implement the Fine-Free Policy 1.System Updates and Fine Waivers o September 30, 2023: All necessary updates to the Polaris Integrated MCL System (Polaris), which manages the MCL collections and circulation, were completed to designate MCL as a fine-free institution. Item: 9.C. 31 Honorable City Council 05/07/2025 Regular Meeting Page 2 o 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!" o 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 MCL 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 MCL charges no other fees that would block an account. o 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 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 o October 5, 2023: A "cleanup" of 4,080 billable emails was conducted using the NeverBounce service, which validated 1,779 emails. o 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. o November 7, 2023: Digital vendors, such as Overdrive and Kanopy, were contacted to remove restrictions on all patron accounts for these services. o 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 32 Honorable City Council 05/07/2025 Regular Meeting Page 3 and the Fine Free Policy. Updates containing explicit information regarding the Fine Free Policy were also posted 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 MCL 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 MCL for three or more years). This resulted in 2,566 active patron accounts that were recipients of fine waivers. As of March 2025, 336 (or 13.1%) have used the MCL in the last year. At the October meeting, staff concluded that the MCL did not see many of the outcomes that other libraries experienced as a result of going Fine Free such as a surge in return of lost materials, or a dramatic increase in physical circulation. However, based on the data collected, as well as interactions with MCL patrons, the implementation of the Fine Free Policy did not materially affect the ability of the MCL to fulfill hold requests, did not result in a significant increase of lost materials, and did not affect the availability of MCL materials for patrons. At the conclusion of the October update, the City Council requested that staff bring an action item back to allow the City Council to consider whether or not to continue the Policy. Staff suggested six months would be appropriate as it would provide one full year of Fine Free implementation and an opportunity for staff to supply additional data metrics. The City Council suggested researching other regional libraries to determine what metrics they were using to indicate success or failure of the Fine Free Policy. DISCUSSION As the City Council requested, staff reached out to other libraries to request what metrics they have used to assess the success, or lack of success, of their fine-free programs. Staff contacted fine-free libraries within Ventura County, as well as libraries in Arcadia, Palmdale, Glendora, and Carlsbad. Discussions with these peer libraries indicated that, in most cases, these libraries are not actively tracking specific metrics to evaluate the impact of their fine-free policies. As a general rule they do track typical areas of concern for libraries and reported no significant increases in wait times, delays in material returns, or losses in their collections since going Fine Free. 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 identified key areas and comparable metrics from these institutions that the MCL can use to measure the success of its fine-free program. 33 Honorable City Council 05/07/2025 Regular Meeting Page 4 Blocked Accounts: Reducing blocked accounts can indicate responsible patron behavior and mitigate concerns about indefinitely losing or keeping MCL 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 MCL, achieving a comparable or lower percentage would be considered a measure of success. Lost Materials: The number of lost materials as compared to circulating items is another metric of success. Based on trends currently seen at the MCL, 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 or reduction, in the average return time and increased material circulation would indicate success in this area as it would show that the MCL collection is able to maintain current service levels and demonstrate neutral or no negative impact. Circulation measures how often materials are borrowed, while average return time refers to the number of days items are kept before being returned or renewed. Together, these metrics provide insight into how well the collection is meeting patron demand and whether materials are being returned in a timely manner. An increase in circulation typically indicates greater community engagement with the collection. However, it can also lead to a longer average return time, as more items are in use at any given time. Therefore, an increase in average return time must be considered in context. Success in this area is defined not solely by maintaining or reducing return times, but by the library’s ability to support increased usage without a significant delay in material return. While the average return time has increased, it aligns with a rise in circulation— suggesting that the collection is being used more heavily, not mishandled. This outcome reflects a neutral or even positive impact of the Fine-Free Policy, as it demonstrates that materials are circulating more frequently without leading to widespread delays or decreased access. Time to Fill holds: The average time to fill a hold, which applies to the MCL’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 MCL to continue providing valuable services and resources to the community. Generally, policies without on-going negative financial impact or that contribute positively to the MCL’s fiscal health would be considered successful in this area. 34 Honorable City Council 05/07/2025 Regular Meeting Page 5 Fine Free Success Discussion Using the key areas identified above, staff prepared an analysis of these metrics for the MCL through the month of March 2025. 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 MCL services. By the end of 2024, 114 accounts remained blocked due to lost items, decreasing to 59 by March 2025. So far in 2025 the total number of blocked accounts represents just 1% of total users, below the 2% reported by the Ventura County MCL system. The continued decline in blocked accounts and stable return rates suggests that patrons act responsibly even without the deterring fines. *total number of active patrons 5,285 Lost MCL Materials: When looking at the effects of lost materials on circulation, between September 2023 and August 2024, the MCL 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 March 2025, the MCL circulated 39,553 physical items, and during that time, 138 items were marked as lost, representing 0.34% of circulated items. 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 from 21 to 24 days. While this represents a slight increase beyond the standard 21-day loan period, it has remained steady and consistent with return trends at other Southern California Libraries, where average return times typically range from 22 to 25 days. This modest increase has not caused a significant disruption to patron access or collection availability. It is also worth noting that as circulation increases, average return times may naturally rise slightly due to a higher volume of materials in use and longer waitlists for popular items – factors that can influence how long patrons hold onto materials. Total circulation in FY 2024/25 has increased by 6% compared to the previous Year Number of Blocked Accounts % of Blocked Accounts 2022 161 3.0% 2023 155 2.9% 2024 114 2.2% 2025 (YTD) 59 1.0% 35 Honorable City Council 05/07/2025 Regular Meeting Page 6 year. Circulation of children's materials has grown by 8%, while young adult (teen) materials have seen a 12% increase. This growth highlights increased community engagement with the collection and suggests that the Fine Free Policy continues to support access without adversely affecting returns. Circulation Physical Circulation Electronic Circulation Total Circulation Fiscal Year 2024/25 2023/24 2024/25 2023/24 2024/25 2023/24 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 March 6,291 6,245 1,402 1,190 7,693 7,435 YTD 59,500 58,023 11,948 9,396 71,448 67,419 Circulation by Collection Children's Young Adults Adult Fiscal Year 2024/25 2023/24 2024/25 2023/24 2024/25 2023/24 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 March 4,378 3,948 299 365 1,479 1,697 YTD 39,927 37,139 4,366 3,887 14,669 14,859 36 Honorable City Council 05/07/2025 Regular Meeting Page 7 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. As mentioned above, hold times less than 21 days are considered successful. 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. Since October 2024, there has been a slight decrease to 10.58 days. The slight increase in wait times pre-pandemic compared to the 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. Financial Impact: The Fine Free Policy has reduced revenues related to fines for the MCL. 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. These fine revenues continued until the start of the pandemic, when fines were suspended. Staff analysis indicates that the MCL does not fully benefit from these revenues when considering the costs of staff time to collect the fines. A review of number of hours spent to collect fines shows that staff time costs to collect fines equals approximately 50%, or more, of the fine revenue. For example, in FY 2018/19, MCL staff spent 572 hours (approximately (71) 8-hour days), at a cost of $8,549 to collect $10,849 in fines. In 2019, the MCL 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 (approximately (30) 8-hour days), at a cost of $3,568 to collect $6,174 in fines. Despite the reduction, the loss of the fine revenue has had no impact on programs or services. In fact, the hours previously spent collecting fines are being used to assist patrons, enhance MCL services, and develop programs that enrich the community. By eliminating fines, the MCL is able to reallocate this staff time toward more impactful services, directly benefiting patrons and increasing 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, which increased 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@MyMCL programs, Triple P Parenting workshops, and school outreach efforts. The MCL has expanded dynamic programming by reallocating staff hours to more impactful community services, including American Sign Language 37 Honorable City Council 05/07/2025 Regular Meeting Page 8 storytelling, Social Emotional Learning and Yoga, Music & Movement, and LEGO Robotics. These initiatives enhance the MCL’s educational impact and build strong community connections, creating a vibrant and engaging atmosphere for all patrons. These enhanced MCL services have contributed to higher attendance and community participation, reinforcing the MCL as an engaging and welcoming space. Library staff feels that eliminating fines has led to patrons feeling more comfortable returning borrowed materials and engaging with MCL 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, making MCL resources and services more accessible. Staff recognizes that although the hours used to collect fines has been spent to better MCL programming and patron experiences, there is always a concern about a reduction in revenue for any City program or facility. To further illustrate the MCL’s fiscal stability, staff prepared a table of actual expenses and revenue associated with the MCL over the last 10 fiscal years. Expenses noted below include not only MCL staffing, programming, technology, and materials but also facilities-related expenses. By and large, MCL revenues outpace expenses yearly, averaging a 4% increase in revenues, and an average of 3% increases in MCL expenses. The bulk of MCL revenue (approximately 97% in FY 2023/24) is funded with an allocation of property tax that is subject to increases as assessed value increases. Since the library revenues outpace expenses, at this point reduction in fine revenue only affects the growth of the unallocated fund balance of the library and not library programming or resource budgets. The loss of the fine revenue is not negatively impacting library operations or the City’s General Fund. Library Board Update On March 11, 2025, staff presented an update item on the Fine Free Policy to the Library Board including these new metrics. The Library Board considered the metrics and asked some thoughtful questions related to: types of materials lost; concerns about staff time 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 38 Honorable City Council 05/07/2025 Regular Meeting Page 9 related to preparation of updates on the Fine Free Policy; reduction in the fine revenue and whether that is a sustainable loss; and whether it impacts library programming or replacement of materials. Although the item for the Library Board was not an action item, the Board adopted the update report and ultimately expressed support for continuing the Fine Free Policy, citing the favorable outcomes of increased access for the previously blocked patrons, increased participation rates, higher community engagement and participation increases across all age groups, and that the lost items remain less than 1% of circulation. In summary, staff has not identified any metrics to indicate the implementation of the Fine Free Policy has created negative impacts to the MCL in any of the identified areas and has added value to the MCL by allowing staff additional time to focus on programming, community and patron engagement. 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 Continuation of the Fine Free Policy would not result in any additional fiscal impacts, as the MCL has already been operating without benefit of fine revenue for several years. If the City Council should wish to discontinue the Fine Free Policy, there is the potential for $3,000 to $6,000 in annual fine revenue, however, staff time would also need to be diverted from programming and customer service to collect the fines. COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE This does not meet a current council strategic objective. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Discuss and provide direction to staff on the continuation of Fine Free Library Policy. 39