STARTING today (October 31) the ACT government has abolished library fines and will forgive all exisiting fines in an attempt to encourage more people to use libraries.
Instead of the current system of charging 25 cents a day for overdue items, Libraries ACT will instead opt for temporary suspension of library privileges until the overdue items are returned or renewed.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr says this change is to encourage more people to use libraries.
“Fines impact low income Canberrans the hardest and stop people from using the library,” Mr Barr says.
“We know that the majority of people who get a fine never come back to the library. It is a lose-lose, the fines don’t get paid and people stop using the library.”
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