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Library Fines

By starfishy33 - 5 December 2012 21

Hi All,

Have a friend who has managed to get a couple of fines on their library card.

There has been some new fine system brought in via Canberra Connect.

Has anyone had any experience with not paying their fines – what happens?

Thanks!

What’s Your opinion?


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21 Responses to
Library Fines
1
Here_and_Now 3:16 pm
05 Dec 12
#

My experience has been that they don’t let you borrow any more until the fine is paid.

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2
Alderney 3:18 pm
05 Dec 12
#

Don’t they cancel your licence and rego and repossess your house (if you have one)? No? Geez this government’s soft.

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3
RiotFrog 4:05 pm
05 Dec 12
#

Why doesn’t your tight-ar*e ‘friend’ just pay the fine, and next time return the books on time?

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4
NoImRight 4:13 pm
05 Dec 12
#

RiotFrog said :

Why doesn’t your tight-ar*e ‘friend’ just pay the fine, and next time return the books on time?

Asked and answered. +1

You dont want no library policeman after you.

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5
PantsMan 4:15 pm
05 Dec 12
#

If I were you, I would apply for a waiver under section 131 of the Financial Management Act 1996:

PantsMan said :

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ACT 1996 – SECT 131
Waiver of debts etc
(1) The Treasurer may, in writing, on behalf of the Territory—

(a) waive the Territory’s right to payment of an amount payable to the Territory; or

(b) postpone any right of the Territory to be paid a debt in priority to another debt; or

(c) allow the payment by instalments of an amount payable to the Territory; or

(d) defer the time for payment of an amount payable to the Territory.

(2) A waiver relating to an amount payable to the Territory by a person may be expressed to be subject to a condition that the person agrees to pay an amount to the Territory in circumstances specified in the waiver.

(3) A waiver relating to an amount payable to the Territory must be reported in the notes to the financial statements of the relevant directorate that relate to the year in which the right to payment was waived.

It will cost them about $10,000 time and effort just to process it.

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6
poetix 4:54 pm
05 Dec 12
#

You are suffocated by the Giant Bookmark. Or the patchwork anaconda, as it’s known by the enforcers who knitted it.

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7
Muttsybignuts 7:47 pm
05 Dec 12
#

They may send the library cop, Mr Bookman after you…

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8
jesse 8:56 pm
05 Dec 12
#

Just wait a few – or many – years until you are a “senior” then you go fee-free. WooHoo. Worth waiting for:-D

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9
sepi 9:23 pm
05 Dec 12
#

the fines are huge now – 200.00 a book if you are 3 months late.

best option is to say you’ve lost it altogether and pay for the replacement cost of the book – sometimes only 15.00 or so.

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10
Jethro 10:10 pm
05 Dec 12
#

sepi said :

the fines are huge now – 200.00 a book if you are 3 months late.

Or 75 cans of baked beans.

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11
DrKoresh 11:22 pm
05 Dec 12
#

Tell your friend to turn over a new leaf, it’s time for him to start a new chapter in his life before they throw the book at him.

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12
Jethro 6:37 am
06 Dec 12
#

Jethro said :

sepi said :

the fines are huge now – 200.00 a book if you are 3 months late.

Or 75 cans of baked beans.

Wow… you’d think I’d be able to divide 200 by 2…..
100 cans of beans :)

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13
miz 7:37 am
06 Dec 12
#

I do think the new fees are a bit steep though – surely it must create an unintended consequence of *never go back* (or alternatively, just use your kids’ library card from then on?). I wonder how they actually enforce the fines? I’ve heard that some private video shops have been resorting to lawyers to recoup debts from overdues (which must cost a bomb) but I can’t see the govt doing this over library books . . .

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14
thebadtouch 8:28 am
06 Dec 12
#

RiotFrog said :

Why doesn’t your tight-ar*e ‘friend’ just pay the fine, and next time return the books on time?

+2

According to this site – http://www.tams.act.gov.au/live/fees_and_charges/administrative_fees#libraries – the fees are:

Replacement of item(s) not returned after 4 weeks**
Note: The replacement cost is the actual cost of the item or the current average cost, whichever is the greater.

Replacement cost of item

Administration fee for overdue item(s) which have not been returned or paid for after 4 weeks**

$25.00 per borrowing event

Administration fee for overdue item(s) which have not been returned or paid for after 12 weeks (This fee is in addition to the fee payable at 4 weeks, for a total administration fee of $200.00)**

$175.00 per borrowing event

A bit steep, maybe, but the whole idea is to get borrowers to return items on time. The failure to return borrowed items by the due date inconveniences other library users – especially high demand items.

Tell you friend to cop it on the chin and pay the fines.

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15
tuco 8:34 am
06 Dec 12
#

Outta my way – I’m a borrower!

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