(5 Sep 2023) Two years ago Auckland Libraries removed its fines for late returns. Since then, more than a million items have been returned after their due date, meaning millions of dollars of potential fines going unclaimed. But despite the loss of revenue, librarians say it has been an overwhelmingly positive change. Read…
(27 Aug 2021) In a hope to boost readership and library use, Auckland Council Libraries is cancelling all existing fines for overdue books. The initiative, which will see the debts of all library users wipes on September 1, was approved by councillors in June. Over $500,000 is owed to Auckland Libraries in late returns. …
(11 Nov 2020) After eliminating overdue fees late last year, Chicago Public Library employees saw something that made everyone smile: a jump in the return of books overdue for six months or more. About 1,650 long-overdue books were returned in each of the five months after fines were eliminated Oct. 1, 2019. Before then,…
(19 Aug 2020) The head of Selwyn District Council’s libraries, Nicki Moen, said during the lockdown their library was one of many which dropped overdue fines, and the council had now been given the backing to continue that for a two-year trial. She said she hoped it would encourage more people to make use of…
Three times as many overdue items were returned to the council’s libraries during a trial period in which no penalties were levied (7 July 2017) The City of Sydney council has abolished all library fines after an eight-month trial revealed they do not work as an incentive for people to return books. Three times as…
(7 March 2016) The Supreme Court of the United States has declined to hear Apple’s appeal of a lower court decision that it conspired with five publishers to increase eBook prices. Apple must now pay $450 million as part of its anti-trust eBook settlement. Amazon, however, is probably grinning like the Cheshire Cat. The publishers…