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Elkhart, Goshen Libraries Serve More Kids Since No-Fines Policy in Effect

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This spring the Elkhart and Goshen Libraries stopped charging fines on children and young adult materials. Since the change libraries are now seeing more use.

If you check out a children’s book or movie at any library in Elkhart or Goshen and then turn it in late, you won’t be charged a fine. It’s an initiative that the libraries began this spring. 

The idea was to encourage people to bring back the materials without being afraid of a hefty fine. The books still have to be turned in, if you’re overdue you can’t check out new things. 

Mary Beth Schlabach is with the Elkhart Public Library. She said the libraries wanted to see more people reading.

“The more children read, the larger amount of the community that we’re gonna have that have the ability to read, but not only the ability to read, but also who want to read and who do read and that’s just better for our community as a whole.”

Schlabach said it doesn’t matter who checks out the materials, adults checking out books for their kids won’t face fines either.

Since the change the library reports nearly 100 more young people using the libraries each month.