Albert Lea City Council votes to eliminate library fines for children

(ABC 6 News) – The Albert Lea City Council voted on a number of items this week, including eliminating fines on youth materials checked out from the Albert Lea Public Library.

Currently, 34% of juvenile library card holders are blocked from checking out materials due to overdue fines.
Albert Lea City Manager Ian Rigg saying, "by eliminating fines the library will be able to reduce the equitable impact of fines for children and teens, optimizing staff time, increasing usage of the library, and create a more positive customer service interaction with the public."

This will start June 1.

The council also discussed its annual bonding to finance major projects, if approved the city could borrow $4.98-million dollars in funding.