Riverina Regional Library (RR) has announced that overdue fines from its 20 member libraries, including Cootamundra, will end from July 1 next year.
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And if you've got overdue items and don't want to wait that long, Cootamundra Library has announced it will again have its "Food for Fines" offer, whereby you can pay off your overdue fines with a donation of packaged, non-perishable food items.
The offer, open until Christmas Eve, will see donated items distributed to people in need over the festive season.
RRL Executive director Robert Knight said there was a growing trend in Australia and worldwide to abolish fees, on the basis that the community benefit outweighed any loss of revenue.
"Research has show fines can actually act as a deterrent to the return of items," Mr Knight said.
"There's also evidence that the guilt or embarrassment associated with having unpaid overdue fines may become a barrier for members' attendance at libraries to access the many other services that they provide such as children's storytime and the Tech Savvy Seniors classes."
Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council discussed the fines issue at its meeting last week.
Mayor Abb McAlister asked what incentive there would be to bring a book back if overdue charges were abolished.
Councillor Penny Nicholson said if people were up for a large amount of fines they might decide to not go back anywhere near the library, but if they can take their books back with no repercussions they could become a valued customer or borrower.
"It encourages increased membership and readership," she explained.
Cr Bowden asked how long you could borrow a book for and Cr Nicholson answered "a month, and if it's overdue two months you're not allowed to borrow any more books until you bring it back, but there will be no fines."
Council resolved to support the NSW Public Libraries Association's drive to ensure the future of library funding, which last year was boosted by $60 million over four years.
It will ask both major parties to approve a "sustainable funding model" including CPI indexation of State funding and legislation to permanently establish all elements of last year's increase, the largest since the Library Act was introduced in 1939.
