By Jessica Micallef
Hume library patrons will be able to return overdue items without fear of being fined.
Hume libraries at Sunbury, Broadmeadows, Craigieburn, Gladstone Park and Tullamarine will no longer charge overdue fines after Hume council conducted a 12-month trial to remove overdue fines.
A report to a recent council meeting stated that library membership numbers in 2020 increased by 71 per cent from the previous year.
The report also stated that loans and renewals of library items increased by 11 per cent during the same period.
“Significant increases in library memberships, loans, renewals and collection turnover indicated a positive trend in community behavioural responses following the removal of overdue fines,” the report stated.
Cr Jarrod Bell said the permanent removal of overdue library fines was an important measure to protect access to serviced and opportunities offered by Hume Libraries.
“Libraries are supposed to be places of access, of learning and opportunity available to all,” he said.
According to a report presented to the council in 2019, Hume libraries issues 46,131 overdue notices in 2018-19.
During the same period, 847 library members did not return any, or some of their library items.
