Why has the DCC decided to remove overdue charges for library items?
Removing the charges should encourage people to return late items and to use the library more.
New Zealand libraries that have already removed overdue charges say borrowing has increased. Public Libraries New Zealand, which represents all NZ libraries, is campaigning for all libraries across the country to be ‘fine free’ by 2025.
When does this happen?
We stopped overdue charges for children and young people under 18 from 1 July 2020 and from 27 October 2021 there are no longer any charges for adults with overdue items.
Does this mean all my old fines will be wiped?
Yes. All library overdue charges will be removed and all historic debt related to overdue charges will be waived. It may take a little time for our system to make this change, but in the meantime our staff will be happy to manually remove the debt for you.
I’ve paid my fines recently, will this be reimbursed?
No. The Council decision to remove overdue charges was made on 27 October 2021. Overdue charges paid before that date are not included.
Do I still have to pay other library charges, e.g. if I want to put an item on hold or borrow a DVD?
Yes. We will continue to charge for services such as holds, printing and photocopying, and borrowing items such as Hot Picks and DVDs. There will also still be charges for lost or damaged items and replacement library membership cards.
If a library member has more than $15 in charges on their card, they cannot borrow more items until items are returned and charges paid.
What if my library book is really overdue or lost?
Library users still have to pay the replacement cost for lost or damaged items. If you return any overdue items, you will no longer have to pay an overdue charge. Once you have returned the overdue items, you can start borrowing again.
The library will continue to send pre-alert notifications, overdue notices and accounts. If you receive an account for a lost item it needs to be returned or paid for. The library will continue to refer debt over $50 to a debt collection agency if it is not paid within 60 days. The library will issue a refund for a lost item if it is returned within a year of payment, but the $10 processing fee, (the costs associated with replacing the item) is non-refundable.
How much money did the libraries receive from overdue charges?
In 2020-21, about $78,500 in overdue charges was received.
Will this money have to be found from other library areas, i.e. will it mean less money for new books?
There will be no impact on the book budget, however any shortfall in revenue this year will be met from savings across the overall library 2021/22 budget. Next year’s budget will incorporate the change.