What is the fine on a late library book?

Answer 1

I'm not sure about the largest fine, but check the link I attached for a pretty funny example.

Many libraries have a fines cutoff (for example, $20 at the wonderful Nashville Public Library), beyond which they simply will not lend any more books until payment is made.

After a certain period, most libraries will consider a book "lost" and bill the last user for its replacement price, sometimes even taking civil action to recoup losses. Most libraries will also charge an additional penalty for replacing a lost book, so it's always better to return the book, no matter how late. Some librarians might cut you a break, too.

Since most libraries are not going to lend out extremely expensive books in the first place, the amounts will rarely be outrageous for an individual book; but if you have several books that are "lost", it could easily add up well into the hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

Answer 2

This depends on the library and, sometimes, on what type of book you are referring to. The fine for overdue books can be as little as five cents per day, per item.

Factors that may influence overdue fees:

• whether or not the item has holds on it (this usually isn't the case for public libraries, but is common among academic libraries)
• the type of item that is overdue (certain high-demand items may have higher fines associated with them; Children's Books, for example, may have a lower overdue fine compared to other books in the collection)
• whether or not the item is designated as a reserve material (an academic library, for example, may allow a reserved book to be borrowed for up to 2 hours, and may then charge a fine per each hour it is overdue)
• the type of library (public libraries tend to have lower overdue fees than academic libraries)

Answer 3

It varies depending on the library. Some libraries have a grace period, some do not. The average is usually between 5 to 10 cents a day in the United States.

Answer 4

This will vary by library. Check with your local library to find out the specific rate they charge.