Evaluating possible barriers to materials’ checkouts stemmed from concerns to safeguard impartial access to library services. The incidence of accumulating fines may deter children from visiting the library or from borrowing items to take home. Information was gathered by the MCPL board and the administration about fines and practices, as well as departmental philosophy about the use of fines. The point of emphasis is that libraries should be a resource, not a barrier for users.

The pilot launched June 2017 and was reevaluated in May 2018. To provide context to data analysis, four fiscal years of circulation data were pulled from the integrated library software system. The Office of Management and Budget expressed concerns regarding possible revenue loss; however, the data showed Juvenile materials experienced an increase in revenue categories (e.g., “Lost/Damaged”), whereas Teen and Adult materials primarily experienced a reduction in revenue from FY17 to FY18.

Of the nearly 4 million Juvenile items circulating during the given fiscal years, the number of initial checkouts markedly rose. In January 2019, data were reassessed following “official” implementation of the policy for FY19, showing a 5% increase in initial checkouts. There is an informal correlation between materials access and a growing frequency in reading among children. The program demonstrates that libraries endorse early learning without incurring “detriment” to fiscal operations.