Library amnesty on overdue items

Published on 11 February 2016

Mildura Rural City Council’s Library service is encouraging everyone with overdue items or outstanding fees to fall back in love with their local library this February, with many fees and charges on overdue items waived for one week only.

Starting on Sunday 14 February, people with overdue items or fines from Mildura Rural City Council’s library services can visit any of the five local libraries and staff will clear eligible overdue fees from library cards – no questions asked.

Arts and Culture portfolio Councillor Jill Joslyn said with people having increasingly busy lifestyles, it’s sometimes easy to forget to return items and the amnesty is designed to get people back to their local library.

“Sometimes people are embarrassed that they have fines outstanding and this gives them an opportunity to not only return valuable resources, but to have the slate wiped clean and to start again,” Cr Joslyn said.

“We want people to access all the wonderful resources available at our libraries and we certainly don’t want financial constraints to stop this.”

Currently borrowers have around 3,500 items overdue across the municipality.

“The purpose of the fine system is to encourage people to return items and to ensure our resources are able to be accessed by as many people as possible.  Often we only have one or two copies of some items and if someone keeps a copy at home for an extended period, it makes it difficult for other people to access that resource.”

The amnesty will run from Sunday 14 February until Sunday 21 February and borrowers need only present their library card at one of the libraries to have their eligible fees waived.

“I really want to encourage people to make the most of this opportunity and come and see all the great new programs and items available at libraries around the district,” Cr Joslyn said. 

Further information about which fees are eligible to be waived is available by contacting Mildura Library on (03) 5018 8350 or online at www.mildura.vic.gov.au/library

ENDS

Media enquiries 
Angela Umback
p) (03) 5018 8689
e) angela.umback@mildura.vic.gov.au