Library Stops Accepting Cash to Prevent Theft

It’s hard to believe that anyone would rob a library. But that, unfortunately, is exactly what has happened at two area libraries. A staff member at the Rancho Cordova branch on Folsom Boulevard came into work on the morning of Dec. 4 to discover that someone had broken into the safe and had stolen about $1,660 in fines and fees. An additional $370 was taken from the Friends of the Library funds. The second theft, which occurred at the Arden-Dimick branch on Watt Avenue, sometime between 5 p.m. Dec. 13 and 7:35 a.m. Dec. 15, resulted in more than $300 being stolen. Now, the libraries are doing the only thing they can do prevent future robberies: they are no longer accepting cash for overdue fines. If there isn’t any money to steal, library officials argue, then there won’t be an incentive to break in.

Patrons of the Arden-Dimick and Rancho Cordova branches will have to pay online using their credit or debit cards or pay by check in person. Library finance director Vicki Johnson said the measures may be temporary and officials aren’t planning to ban cash payments at the other branches. Larger branches deposit money regularly, so the threat is less. However, staff at all 27 branches are being trained in newly developed cash control and handling procedures.

The relatively small amount of money libraries actually have on hand and the recent robberies are prompting other library officials to consider cashless transactions. “It’s a small amount of cash,” said Phil Batchelor, interim library director. “It takes a lot of time to account for it, to collect it and to deposit it.” A cashless payment system would be much more efficient and convenient.

While the financial amounts taken don’t seem like that great a loss, Johnson says that dealing with them puts excessive demand on vital financial and human resources. “Like many businesses and private citizens in our area, the library is feeling the strains of these tough economic times. It’s unfortunate that someone would steal from us.”