El Paso Public Libraries go ‘fine-free'
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – All overdue fines for El Paso Public Library (EPPL) materials have been officially eliminated, the City of El Paso announced on Tuesday, April 29, in a news release.
The City said this comes after the El Paso City Council approved this decision as a way to increase access to library resources.
While overdue fines have been forgiven, other fees, such as those for damaged or lost materials, will still apply, the City said.
'The change is expected to benefit many of the nearly 40,000 library patrons, including children, who had been blocked from borrowing due to unpaid fines. These patrons can now resume borrowing materials and enjoying the library's services once again,' read the news release by the City.
'We want to remove any barriers preventing our community from accessing valuable educational, informational, and recreational materials,' Norma Martinez, library director, said. 'By eliminating fines, we hope to make it easier for all El Pasoans to engage with our library and take full advantage of the resources available.'
Previously, patrons were charged 15 cents per day for each overdue item and were blocked from borrowing once fines reached $5, the City said.
The City said that recent studies have shown that late fees do not effectively encourage timely returns and, in some cases, can deter the return of library materials.
Library systems nationwide that have gone 'fine-free,' including cities like Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio, report higher rates of material returns and greater patron satisfaction, the City said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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