The Hodgman majority Liberal Government is introducing a new fee structure for borrowing from Tasmanian libraries to make the process easier and to encourage more people to use libraries.
The new model will see the removal of most of the existing fees and late return charges related to the borrowing of books and other items which will simplify the process for the public and staff.
We want to remove barriers to borrowing from libraries and attract new and returning members to Libraries Tasmania, and we believe this new approach will result in more books and other items being returned.
We are also looking at a fair replacement fee to cover the cost of lost or damaged books which is more cost-effective for staff. This will depend on the shelf-life of the book and its value which we believe is more equitable and will not have such a negative impact on members.
Following significant research and analysis, members may lose lending privileges rather than face the threat of financial penalties or being referred to a debt collector.
The new fee model will take effect towards the end of December 2018 and it will be retrospective to encourage members to return outstanding books and enjoy our libraries.
The Hodgman Liberal Government changed LINCs back to Libraries this year and due to our strong economic management we will invest an additional $3 million dollars in new contemporary resources to update library resources from online resources, to digital resources and of course, books.
The Hodgman Liberal Government has a strong focus on lifting education outcomes and by making information in libraries more accessible we believe these changes to the library borrowing process will help achieve that goal.
