Library fines

Overdue fines for library books

31 October 2022

Your request

  1. do you charge library fines for overdue items?
  2. if the answer to 1 is no (that you do not charge fines for overdue library items) when was this policy introduced and what was the reasoning behind this decision?
  3. if the answer to 1 is yes (that you do charge library fines) how are the fines for overdue items calculated? Is there a rate charged each day for each overdue item?
  4. following on from the previous question, what is the maximum fine that can be charged per overdue library item?
  5. if the answer to 1 is yes, how much money have you generated from library fines in 2022?
  6. how much money did you generate from library fines in the years 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017? Please provide the revenue you generated during each of the specified years individually.

Our response

  1. yes
  2. N/A
  3. the current overdue charges are calculated as follows: Adult 30p Concession 30p Child no charges overdue books per item per day
  4. concessionary rates: 65 years old and over; young adults under 19 years old; those receiving Income Support, Working Families Tax Credits, Housing Benefit, Job Seekers Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Disabled Tax Credits, Disability Living Allowance, Invalid Care Allowance, Employment Allowance. Charge: Adult £5 Concession £1 Child no charge
  5. so far we have generated £15407 January to mid-October 2022
  6. we are only able to provide income from fines over a financial year (April to March). This is as follows:

Year

April 2017 - March 2018 £26,975

April 2018 - March 2019 £25,943

April 2019 - March 2020 £22,730

April 2020 - March 2021 £379 we stopped charging due to Covid so people who were not confident about going into public spaces would not be impacted

April 2021 - March 2022 £8942 overdue charges only charged for part of year because of Covid restrictions

April 2022 - September 2022 £12,993