LIBRARY users in Warwickshire are being urged to renew or take back their books on time as fines return from September.
Warwickshire County Council’s (WCC) library service is re-introducing fines for overdue books from September 1 as part of a return to normal operations following the pandemic.
Customers are encouraged to return their books before or at the end of their loan period to avoid incurring fines, or renew them free of charge.
The service operates a 24-hour renewal telephone line on 01926 499273. Items can also be renewed online using a library account, or in person at any library.
In order to assist customers, the library service sends a courtesy email a few days prior to items being due for return to alert them to return or renew the items borrowed.
Items borrowed from a library can be returned to any other WCC library or mobile library or any Community Managed Library.
Fines are incurred after the three-week loan period has expired in order to encourage the return of all items. This ensures maximum availability of library stock, particularly the most popular titles with reservation waiting lists to ensure equitable access to all.
Fines are not incurred on children’s books borrowed on a child’s library card.
WCC customer and transformation spokesperson, Coun Andy Jenns, said: “With the disruption the pandemic caused to our library services it was only right that fines for overdue items were suspended during this time. But as we welcome more customers back to our libraries, and in line with the phased re-introduction of other charges, we need to make sure our library stock is as up to date as possible and that we maximise availability of our titles, particularly the more popular ones.
“We encourage customers to return or renew their books before their expiry date, before they incur an overdue fine.”
