Call to ditch fines for overdue library items
Fines for overdue items could soon be ditched across Christchurch’s public library network.
Pressure is mounting on the city council to join the growing number of local authorities across New Zealand that have already abolished their fines regimes.
At least 12 councils, including Auckland, Nelson, Hutt City, Carterton, Waikato, and Christchurch neighbours Selwyn and Waimakariri, no longer charge overdue library fines.
Since Selwyn District Council abolished its library fines early last year, it has experienced an increase in borrowing, library visitors and new members.
In Waimakariri, people, including children, with old fines who had stopped borrowing have come back to the libraries. Long-lost books have also turned up.
The issue will be discussed at a Christchurch City Council meeting on Thursday following a request by city councillor Sara Templeton. She wants the council to remove charges for overdue library items and all historical debt related to overdue charges by the end of January.
Templeton said fines were originally used to encourage library users to return books on time but there was ample evidence they had a detrimental impact on already disadvantaged people. Fines were not an incentive for people who could afford to pay, and those who could not were blocked from borrowing library items and thus further disadvantaged, she said.
People would still be encouraged to bring their books back because they would be charged for the replacement cost of the book if they did not.
Adult members are charged 70 cents per day per item, up to a maximum of
$21 per item. Children do not have to pay late fees. The council received close to
$300,000 in fines in the last financial year and spent about $42,000 collecting them.
The library was owed $143,409 in fines as of November 16.
Templeton’s request has garnered support from community advocate Josiah Tualamali’i, who has created a petition to present to the council.
Tualamali’i said one person who signed it said they got a fine when they were 14 and had never been back to a library in the 20 years since. Another
‘‘Considering the role libraries play in supporting literacy and wellbeing we did not want there to be a barrier for people which might stop them accessing the resources libraries offer.’’
Paula Eskett
Waimakariri district libraries manager
woman forgot the family had library books out after her husband died. She paid the fines but thought it was an ‘‘unforgiving system’’ that made libraries less accessible to people with complex lives.
Tualamali’i said he had accumulated $100 of fines while at university and was incredibly anxious about going back to the library to pay the fee, because he could not afford it. His fine was eventually waived but he acknowledged that was probably not the norm.
Abolishing fines also seems to have the support of Christchurch libraries staff.
Council library and information head Carolyn Robertson said evidence suggested the removal of fines improved equity of access to ideas, information and knowledge for those who could least afford it. It would help to retain library members and increase borrowing, as well as the number of items that were returned. She was not concerned it would lead to books not being returned. Ditching fines also supported literacy and fostered the joy of reading for all, Robertson said.
Selwyn District Council library and service centre operations manager Hayley Browne said the district’s libraries had a 33 per cent increase in business in the year since it abolished fines.
It also removed charges for borrowing items at the same time and saw an immediate increase in usage of items, with one branch reporting a 71 per cent increase in borrowing of children’s DVDs.
Waimakariri district libraries manager Paula Eskett said the council got rid of library fines and historical debt in July.
‘‘Considering the role libraries play in supporting literacy and wellbeing we did not want there to be a barrier for people which might stop them accessing the resources libraries offer.’’