<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">From: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">TCPL Communications <<a href="mailto:communications@tcpl.org" class="">communications@tcpl.org</a>><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><b class="">TCPL is now Fine Free!</b><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">February 4, 2019 at 9:58:09 AM GMT-5<br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">To: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">Susanna Drbal <<a href="mailto:sdrbal@tcpl.org" class="">sdrbal@tcpl.org</a>><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Cc: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">Media <<a href="mailto:Media@tcpl.org" class="">Media@tcpl.org</a>>, TC-HSC-L <<a href="mailto:TC-HSC-L@list.cornell.edu" class="">TC-HSC-L@list.cornell.edu</a>>, All Staff <<a href="mailto:AllStaff@tcpl.org" class="">AllStaff@tcpl.org</a>>, Promotions-YS <<a href="mailto:Promotions-YS@tcpl.org" class="">Promotions-YS@tcpl.org</a>>, Teen MEDIA <<a href="mailto:TeenMedia@tcpl.org" class="">TeenMedia@tcpl.org</a>><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Reply-To: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">TCPL Communications <<a href="mailto:communications@tcpl.org" class="">communications@tcpl.org</a>><br class=""></span></div><br class=""><div class=""><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">Tompkins County Public Library Media Release</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">Date: February 4, 2019</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">Media Contact: Susanna Drbal at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:sdrbal@tcpl.org" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114); text-decoration: underline;" class="">sdrbal@tcpl.org</a></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or (607) 272-4557, ext 261</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">Tompkins County Public Library is Now Fine Free</span></b><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">ITHACA— Tompkins County Public Library is very proud to announce all fines on late items have been eliminated in order to ensure all people have free and unfettered access to library books and materials. The initiative began with a quiet roll-out on January 14, 2019.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">“Libraries have learned that fines aren’t effective for encouraging the timely return of materials; they allow people who can afford them to keep materials as long as they want, and prevent those that can’t from using the library at all,” according to Library Director Annette Birdsall. “Libraries need to remove this social inequity and encourage access. Stewardship is ensured because people will still need to pay for lost or damaged materials. We respect our readers and libraries so we are confident that sharing our resources will continue in the same manner that libraries have always celebrated.”</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 30, 31);" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 30, 31);" class="">Studies have shown that small fines have no impact on return rates. According to “Removing Barriers to Access,” a Colorado State Library whitepaper: “The scant research on the impact of library fines and fees does not indicate a clear benefit to administering these policies and may be costly to enforce.” Due to the rise in electronic materials (which do not accrue late fines) and other factors, fines are not a sustainable form of revenue for the library. Money collected from fines and fees has<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: windowtext;" class="">decreased</span><span style="color: red;" class=""><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(34, 30, 31);" class="">steadily for the past ten years, especially with the advent of autorenew.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(34, 30, 31);" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""> A FAQ (frequently asked questions) resource is available on the Library’s website at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><u class=""><span style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><a href="http://tcpl.org/fine-free-faq" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114); text-decoration: underline;" class="">http://tcpl.org/fine-free-faq</a></span></u>. For more information about Fine Free at TCPL, please contact TCPL Director Annette Birdsall at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:abirdsall@tcpl.org" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114); text-decoration: underline;" class="">abirdsall@tcpl.org</a></span>.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">Susanna Drbal<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">Development and Communications Associate<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">Tompkins County Public Library Foundation<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">101 E Green St<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">Ithaca, New York 14850<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class="">(607) 272-4557 ext. 261<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif; color: blue;" class=""><a href="mailto:sdrbal@tcpl.org" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114); text-decoration: underline;" class=""><span style="color: blue;" class="">sdrbal@tcpl.org</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></body></html>