There’s a long-held belief that the way to get materials back on time to a public library, you have to charge late fees. But libraries across the country are bucking that trend and doing away with overdue fines. Last year, suburban Vernon Area Public Library joined libraries from Massachusetts, Colorado and Missouri, among other states, by implementing a policy that doesn’t punish patrons when material is overdue. 

We talk with Catherine Savage from the library to learn more about why they made the move, and how it’s affected library use.