Don't Mess with the Arlington County Library

By: James Martin
Published On: 8/26/2007 3:38:39 PM

From the Arlington Sun Gazette:

All you Arlington library patrons with overdue materials and fines, the day of reckoning is drawing near

Starting this fall, the Arlington Public Library will be contracting with Unique Management Services collection agency to more aggressively work to recover long-overdue library items and unpaid fines.

Now, if an item is 45 days past due and a patron has a balance between $25 and $1,000, the library system will forward the account to Unique Management Services, adding a $10 service charge to the total fine.

"Other libraries that use this service, as well, have found that 60 to 70 percent of patrons who are contacted by Unique Management come and settle their accounts at the library," Karl said.

Accounts with a balance of $1,000 or higher will be submitted to the county treasurer's office, whose powers of collection have become legendary.

Once the past-due clock reaches 172 days, information on delinquencies will be turned over to a national credit bureau.


Comments



I'd really like to meet the folks (Sui Juris - 8/26/2007 3:50:56 PM)
who have managed to rack up overdue fine balances of $1,000.

Really.

But first, I have to go pay my $8 fine on that interlibrary loan item . . .



Ummm ... so what? (TheGreenMiles - 8/26/2007 6:27:07 PM)
What's the story here?  A $10 service charge once you're 45 days past due with over $25 in fees seems modest.  They send you email reminders now, so it's no big secret if something is due.