FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville Public Library patrons can regain borrowing privileges after they claim the library as a creditor during bankruptcy proceedings.
An unusual number of people who have claimed the library as a creditor prompted its Board of Trustees to create a policy that would reinstate full borrowing privileges for those members.
“The last thing we want is for those people not to have the library available when they’re having hard times,” said Cathy Rew, director of administrative services at the library.
Rew handled 50 to 60 instances in the last two to three years where members listed fees due to the library in their bankruptcy filings. Rew said fees reached as high as $1,200.
Library Director Shawna Thorup said the most important matter is to recover the borrowed materials, like books and movies.
“The materials don't belong to us,” Thorup said. “They belong to the community, and some of those materials cost a lot of money.”
Those cardholding members will be placed on a 12-month status that limits the amount of items which can be borrowed at a time under the new policy. The overdue fees that stem from the unreturned items will be waived in all cases.
If the person lost any of the missing materials, he would be responsible for the replacement cost, according to the policy. Payment plans can be established.
The patron would regain normal borrowing privileges after the 12 months, if he remains in good standing.
The Blair Library is unusual in the amount of cases it has handled.
Marcia Ransom, director of the Springdale Public Library, had not thought of the need to create a bankruptcy policy.
“I am aware of about a half a dozen people in the last five years,” Ransom said. “It’s not an issue.”
Glenda Audrain, who directs the Greenland and Winslow libraries, had not heard of any bankruptcy issues with the libraries’ cardholding members.
Marshal Prettyman, director of litigation at Legal Aid of Arkansas, said he has not seen a single instance of his clients claiming to owe any library large amounts of materials or money in bankruptcy courts.
Rew said the number of cases makes up substantially less than 1 percent of the library’s overall membership. The library has about 60,000 cardholders.
“If someone has an issue, we would really like them just to talk to us,” Rew said.
In almost all cases, she said the staff will work out a solution with people who are experiencing financial difficulties.