Library increases fines

Geelong borrowers face a rise in overdue fees for late returns

OVERDUE fines will be increased for borrowers as Geelong’s library network aims to boost funding streams to deal with tighter budgets.

With member councils constrained by rate capping, Geelong Regional Library Corporation is eyeing other methods to maintain and expand its service.

In the first rise in seven years, overdue fees will go up by 10 cents to 40 cents per day.

The corporation is also lift- ing rates for venue hire at its centrepiece Dome library and other library meeting rooms.

It also aims to add a further 400 members to its Friends of Geelong Libraries initiative, which for $55 per year offers benefits from a range of Geelong cultural facilities.

Combined, the measures are expected to increase the corporation’s fees and charges revenue by $91,250 in 2018-19 — a rise of 22.6 per cent.

However the corporation expects any amount raised from fines to be negligible.

“Though we are experienc- ing a much tighter financial environment we are exploring external funding opportunities to supplement the budget, not fines,” CEO Patti Manolis said.

She cited $76,000 in State funding for the Geelong Honours Them project, and more than $80,000 in grants and sponsorship for the Word for Word National Non-Fiction Festival.

The corporation oversees library services across Geelong, Surf Coast, Queenscliff and Golden Plains Shire.

Its proposed 2017-18 budget faced a barrage of public criti- cism, after it called for the closure of the Highton, Barwon Heads and Chilwell library branches.

But a public campaign convinced the Geelong council to allocate extra funding to keep the smaller branches open.

In the face of a tight rates cap of 2.25 per cent, councils have little wriggle room to substantially increase their contributions to the library corporation. The corporation’s draft 2018-19 budget shows the four councils will tip in $11.24 million next financial year — a rise of 1.8 per cent.

The overall $14.21m budget is up by 2.6 per cent.

A key project in the coming year is the creation of a library in the $10m second stage of the Leopold community hub.

New and refurbished libraries are also being pursued in Queenscliff, Lara, Drysdale, Armstrong Creek, Torquay, Norlane and Smythesdale.

The library’s overall overdue fine tally now sits at $155,000, with some of that figure dating back several years. The largest amount owed by one member is $305.70