An estimated $1,400 in overdue library fees has been accounted for by the staff in Collier Library since the beginning of 2013.

“Since Jan. 1, 2013, we have submitted roughly $1400 in fees to the Business Office,” said Melvin Davis, director of library services. “I would say that the $.10 increments account for very little whereas you have someone lose 2-3 audiovisual items or a few books could be looking at $100 or more.  In other words, I suspect this number is inflated by students paying for lost items prior to May graduation.”

The library does not have a (student) fee associated with it, but does charge for overdue materials. The fee goes back to general fees, Davis said. 

“This is fairly typical of state-supported universities,” Davis said. “The library is funded by the university in the same way other colleges and departments are at this point. As with any other area we have to request fixed cost increases or submit requests for new endeavors.”

There are three general categories for fees at Collier Library: lost, damaged and overdue, with prices varying by the circumstance of the fee, according to the library’s page on UNA’s website.

Davis said he is unsure as to whether or not these costs have changed very much in recent years.

“It is possible that these have changed but since they are relatively low I would say they have not changed in a very long time,” he said. “I don’t expect that overdue fines will change anytime soon; however, our lost item charge is rather low so it should be looked at down the road.”

The fees students collect by not returning library materials can sometimes be reduced during the holidays, like when the library has canned food drives, said UNA senior Kathleen Franks, who is also a student worker in the library. 

“You can bring in canned non-perishable foods, and it will reduce or get rid of (the fees),” Franks said. 

The library offers students the opportunity for individual consultations with one of the librarians, in order to go over research processes, said Leigh Thompson, assistant professor for library services.

“We hope by next week to ask students what they wish they had known about the library online,” Thompson said. 

The library is making sure to advertise what materials are offered, Thompson said.

She said Collier Library also hosts a few events throughout the semester, such as giving away free snacks in the library during Pride Week while also partnering with Student Government Association (SGA) on study day to give away donuts, coffee and hot chocolate.

To help assist more students, library officials said they are also hoping to re-work the ground floor for group areas and add more study rooms. The re-working will include more collaborative spaces, Davis said. In the meantime, Davis said they are also re-working the library system, where the inter-library loans and online tracking requests are held.

News Editor Pace Holdbrooks also contributed to this report.