BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Bay Minette Public Library will celebrate National Library Week next week by giving back to patrons — or by allowing patrons to return overdue books free of charge.

Participating locations will forgive all fines next week, as long as overdue items are returned.

Bay Minette Public Library Director Joanna Bailey said she thinks the initiative will encourage patrons to return their items.

“It's basically a way to get the word out to our patrons that we just want our materials back,” she said in an interview. “The two weeks that we allow people to check things out is a short time, and people don't realize it's been that long. They don't bring items back because they're afraid, embarrassed or (they) just misplaced them.”

Liz Reed, director of the Baldwin County Library Cooperative, agreed.

“We have found that we get more items back when we do the fine forgiveness,” she said in an interview. “We don't want people to be scared to come to the library. We are very nice.”

Bailey pointed out that it's also an excuse to get people back to the library.

“It may remind them to walk in the library and see what we have to offer — and it’s free,” she said. “We do offer so much: We have computers that the patrons can come in and use if they don't have a computer or Internet at home. We have a large variety of books: fiction, non-fiction, large-print, young-adult’s, children's and audio books.”

For more information, call (251) 580-1648.