Debt Collection

Question

We have become aware that a recent law in New York shortened the statute of limitations to collect consumer debts.  Does this affect our library’s ability to enforce and collect library fines?

Answer

Libraries likely do not have any statute of limitations for collecting overdue or replacement fines because the law does not consider library fines as “debts.” As such, any change to how long a “debt” may be collected does not matter for libraries. T