Comments on: Will Reporting Fines to Police Hurt Library Patronage? https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/03/will-reporting-fines-to-police-hurt-library-patronage/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=will-reporting-fines-to-police-hurt-library-patronage A Publication of the Public Library Association Thu, 31 Mar 2016 21:16:53 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.5 By: John DeBacher https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/03/will-reporting-fines-to-police-hurt-library-patronage/#comment-481407 Thu, 31 Mar 2016 21:16:53 +0000 http://publiclibrariesonline.org/?p=8665#comment-481407 The bill was designed to address practices some libraries had already undertaken. Since at least 1979 Wisconsin has had in its criminal code a “Theft of library material” law, that included failure to return materials. Many other states have wording in their laws related to privacy of patron records an allowance so that by willfully ignoring library policy, the patron compromises some of that protection. Finally, consider that a major settlement last year reached by the NY Atty General with the major credit reporting agencies (http://goo.gl/27CSDg) includes protections going into place this June whereby the three major credit rating agencies will no longer accept “library debt” to be reported for inclusion in credit information and scores. A little more research may have afforded a less inflammatory-toned article.

John DeBacher, Director, Public Library Development
Wisconsin Division for Libraries & Technology
(and two-time NANOWRIMO winner)

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