ANCHOR LEAD IN:
REMEMBER AS A KID HOW HARD IT WAS TO FACE THE LIBRARIAN WITH AN OVERDUE BOOK? THESE DAYS, OVERDUE LIBRARY MATERIALS ARE SCARY INDEED -- LIBRARY FINES CAN ACTUALLY RUIN YOUR CREDIT RATING! HERE'S ____________ WITH TODAY'S HEADS UP.

TRACK ONE Length: :04
LAURA TROPEA (TROH-PAY) FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY THAT LIBRARY FINES ARE SERIOUS BUSINESS...

SOT:
Key @:09 Name: Laura Tropea Title: Library fines showed up on credit rating
"I had checked my Equifax credit report in May of this year and found out that I had a library fine that was sent to a collection agency."

TRACK TWO Length: :06
THAT'S RIGHT. A COLLECTION AGENCY. TROPEA SAYS SHE RETURNED THE BOOKS - AND DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE FINES. ...

SOT:
No Key @ 20 Name: Laura Tropea Title: Library fine showed up on credit report
"I was quite shocked."

TRACK THREE Length: :06
FINES, FEES AND UNRETURNED MATERIALS ADD UP TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR LIBRARIES...AND THEY WANT IT BACK...

SOT:
Key @ ::31 Name: Gerald Schwab, Circulation Manager
"For each um item that we recover, we don't have to replace it, we actually save our money, and we can buy more things for the collection."

TRACK FOUR Length: :07
WITH THAT MUCH MONEY AT STAKE, HUNDREDS OF LIBRARIES IN THE U.S. ARE NOW TURNING TO THE BIG GUNS...COLLECTION COMPANIES... FOR HELP!

SOT:
Key @ : :44 Name: Gerald Schwab, Circulation Manager
"It's very successful for us. We have about a 6 to 1 return on our money that we spend..."

TRACK FIVE Length: :04
LIBRARIES SAY A 'GENTLE NUDGE' FROM A CALL CENTER USUALLY MAKES EVERYBODY HAPPY...

SOT:
Key @: :55 Name: Gerald Schwab, Manager of Circulation, Columbus Metropolitan Library
"Customers come back in, return the materials, pay their fines and then become regular library users again."

TRACK SIX Length: :07
BUT WHEN THEY DON'T, IT ISN'T PRETTY. SOME LIBRARY PATRONS HAVE EVEN BEEN DENIED MORTGAGES AND LOANS BECAUSE OF LATE FEES!

SOT:
Key @ : 1:06 Name: Kenes Bowling
Title: Manager of Customer Development, Unique Management Services
"A library debt is like any other, if it appears on a credit report as an unpaid obligation, it will effectively impede credit."

TRACK SEVEN Length: :10
AS FOR LAURA TROPEA...WHEN SHE CALLED THE LIBRARY TO CONTEST THE CHARGES, SHE SAYS IT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A RECORD OF THE FINES. SHE WAS TOLD TO DEAL WITH THE COLLECTION AGENCY DIRECTLY. MEANWHILE...

SOT:
No Key @ 1:18 Name: Laura Tropea Title: Library fines showed up on credit rating
"To the best of my knowledge, the fine is still on my credit report."

ANCHOR TAG:
THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS. BOWLING SAYS HE KNOWS OF NO INSTANCES IN WHICH A LIBRARY FINE THAT'S BEEN PAID OFF HAS EVER ENDED UP HURTING A PERSON'S LONG-TERM CREDIT...BUT YOU DO HAVE TO PAY UP TO REMOVE THE DEBT FROM YOUR FILE!

Source Contacts:

Kenes C. Bowling
Unique Management Services
119 East Maple Street
Jeffersonville, IN
812-285-0886

Gerald Schwab
Circulation Manager
Columbus Metropolitan Library
Main Library
96 S Grant Ave
Columbus, OH 43215
614-849-1203
Community Relations: Lisa Sloan
614-849-1046