ALMOST one-in-four Orange library users currently owes money in fines, but Orange City Council is considering a plan that will wipe their slates clean.
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A report to Tuesday night's monthly meeting recommends council abolish overdue fees for all library materials from August 1 and waive all existing overdue fees from that same day.
The move would cost council around $5000 in lost fines revenue each year but could encourage more people to use the library.
"It is proposed to increase the accessibility of library services by removing the barrier of overdue fines for items returned after the due date," the report states.
"These fines contribute a small amount to the council's income but often lead to families making the decision not to make further use the library's resources."
Orange City Library has 39,850 members, including 9447 (23 per cent) with outstanding overdue fines ranging from 60 cents to more than $400.
These fines contribute a small amount to the council's income but often lead to families making the decision not to make further use the library's resources.
- A report to Orange City Council
Of those borrowers with overdue fines, 8510 have not used the library for more than a year.
"The system of overdue fines particularly affects families who borrow children's books on multiple membership cards," the report to councillors states.
"At a maximum fine of $30 per item with loan limits of 29 items per card, it is all too possible to have library overdue fines greater than the average weekly grocery bill of $141."
The report says "on most occasions" having overdue library items is simply a result of disorganisation rather than any ill intent to not return what was borrowed in the first place, and as such fining those people only serves as a deterrent to use the facility in the future.
"The current overdue fees put many vulnerable residents in the position of having to make choices about whether to allocate scarce resources on being able to continue to use the library," it added.
The report says abolishing library fees would particularly benefit community members who could not afford to buy their own reading materials.
Under the plan, people with overdue items would not be able to borrow more items until they were returned.
"For borrowers who lose, damage or keep library materials, the existing fine structure will continue to recoup the cost of both the item and the processing cost," the report states.
"Once paid, borrowers will be permitted to borrow again."
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