'Scrap library fines' says Moray Councillor and qualified librarian Jérémie Fernandes
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AN SNP councillor who is a qualified librarian wants Moray Council to scrap library fines.
Cllr Jérémie Fernandes (Elgin North) will table a motion at the Education, Children and Leisure and Sports committee next Wednesday (November 2) to seek a report on the removal of library penalties.
At present, 19 out of 32 councils in Scotland have already removed library penalties.
The Scottish Libraries Information Council (SLIC) recommends that library penalties be removed for all library users across Scotland before 2025.
Cllr Fernandes said: "Library penalties make absolutely no sense. They are based on the Victorian assumption that if you financially punish library patrons, it will encourage them to return their library books on time.
"All the research and case studies show that the opposite happens. By charging penalties, libraries actually lose money. What’s the point of demanding a 10p fine if it means that a £12.99 book is never returned?
"When UHI Moray library removed their library fines in 2019, the return rate increased by more than 30 per cent.
The public libraries who have removed penalties have seen an increase in both new memberships and borrowing of physical items.
Cllr Fernandes claimed library penalties are also morally wrong because they affect lower-incomes households disproportionally.
"During a cost-of-living crisis, when many people can’t afford to eat or heat their homes, it is not the job of libraries to penalise low-income patrons and charge them for returning their books a few days late.
"Libraries should be a welcoming environment. They are an essential service for many where people can access culture, literature, and information for free at the point of need. That’s the core mission of libraries.
I am certain removing penalties will make Moray libraries an even more welcoming environment for all."
