Ohio libraries allow credit cards for fine payment

The Chattahoochee Valley Libraries (CVL) in Ohio have recently authorized the use of credit cards to pay off fines, the Ledger-Enterprise reports. This news is likely to be well received by some patrons, such as one 52-year old women who told the news source she didn't have $20 in cash to pay off her fines for overdue books. As a result, she was unable to use the library's facilities, and risked having her information sent to a debt collection service. The minimum fine is $5, while the maximum amount of total fines allowed to be accrued on a customer's account is $50. "We are definitely seeing an increase in collections since we began this," Henry McCoy, library programming and communications coordinator, told the news source. "It is a great convenience for people because they can go to the website and pay online." CVL charges 25 cents per day for each item that's overdue, while fines for laptops are more expensive, at $5 per hour. Any unpaid fines are sent to collections, which could negatively affect one's consumer credit score. According to its website, CVL serves more than 250,000 people in four counties, including Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Marion and Stewart.