Memphis library drops late fees. You can finally take that book back.

Samuel Hardiman | Memphis Commercial Appeal

That book you never read and forgot to renew now won't cost you money, just guilt and, maybe, a dirty look from a librarian.

Memphis Public Library announced Monday it was wiping away all fees for books and other educational materials as of Nov. 18. The move allows Memphis to join other cities such as Chicago, Dallas and Phoenix that have also done away with their late fees.

Breaking: In a progressive leap forward, @MEM_Library will begin ELIMINATING the collection of all overdue fines associated with the rental of books and other educational material. pic.twitter.com/pPUtKidB9S — shamichael hallman (@shamike2009) November 18, 2019

Library spokeswoman Kendrea Collins said the decision wipes away $82,000 in outstanding, uncollected fees. The library system believes that getting rid of late fees will revive a significant amount of the 190,000 dormant accounts with Memphis Public Library.

"We are excited to say that this is a huge step towards elimination of barriers [to] access of materials and books. We are thrilled to be among the first libraries in the nation to eliminate fines, so this is a major step forward for Memphis," Keenon McCloy, director of Memphis Public Library, said in a statement.

Like other library systems, Memphis Public Library acknowledged that fines create barriers to information access and removing those barriers could help promote literacy.

"Anything we can do to eliminate barriers to access will assist us in increasing literacy and education attainment. This is truly a great day for Memphis and for Memphis," McCloy.

McCloy also noted that children are those who bore the brunt of fines in the past, something that isn't unique nationwide.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, about one in four blocked library cards in Chicago belonged to a kid under the age of 14.

"Children are the most affected by overdue fines from the perspective that they cannot return materials, and yet they cannot check materials because of late fees," McCloy said.