By Wayne Allen
The Portsmouth Public Library (PPL) is offering the community an avenue to pay overdue fines or for lost items and save 50 percent in the process. From now until Oct. 19, you can bring in your overdue items and the late fees will be waived. If you have already returned an item or lost an item, the fee will be reduced to 50 percent when you pay the other half.
Paige Williams, director of the Portsmouth Public Library, said they offered a similar program in 2014 and many in the community took advantage.
“We did this last year because we really want people to be able to get in and use their accounts,” Williams said. “We had a lot of people take advantage (in 2014). I just asked our staff and last week we had a lot of people take advantage (in 2015), which is what we want.”
She said if the account has turned into a collection agency there is a $10 fee added to the account, and that can’t be waived.
Williams said within the Portsmouth Public Library System there are close to $1 million in fines going back 15 years. She said most of that comes from lost material, and there are some people that have $1,000 in lost items.
“One million dollars is one third of the libraries operating budget for a year (with an annual budget of $3.2 million),” Williams said.
Fines can be paid for at any branch of the Portsmouth Public Library and can be in the form of cash, check, money order, debit or credit card.
For information about ongoing programs at the Portsmouth Public Library and its branches visit www.yourppl.org or call the Lucasville Branch can be reached at 740-259-6119, the New Boston Branch can be reached 740-456-4412. The Portsmouth Branch can be reached at 740-354-5688. The South Webster Branch can be reached at 740-778-2122 and the Wheelersburg Branch can be reached at 740-574-6116.
Wayne Allen can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 1933 or on Twitter @WayneallenPDT
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