Children's overdue amnesty at libraries

Leicestershire County Council's Libraries are inviting all families with overdue children's books to return them to their local library over the Summer and make a fresh start. The amnesty will run from 1st July-31st August and will give children and young people, aged 16 and under, the chance to wipe their slate clean and rejoin the library in time to take part in this year's Summer Reading Challenge,The Reading Rollercoaster.

Overdues for books borrowed by children aged 11 and under were already removed in April this year. The amnesty goes one step further in trying to break down barriers to children using the library.

Children will be able to return their books, videos, DVDs, CDs and talking books without having to pay any money that is owed on them - no questions will be asked no matter how overdue they are. (Videos, DVDs, CDs and talking books borrowed after July 1st will still be subject to normal charges.)

Children who may have been stopped from using the library because of lost items will also be welcomed back.

Although the campaign is aimed at getting children back into libraries, library staff will also deal sympathetically with other family members who may also have had their library membership suspended.

Ernie White, Cabinet lead member for Community Services said, The library is a wonderful free service helping introduce books, reading and learning to children. This amnesty is an excellent scheme to encourage children back to the library for some exciting summer events such as the Reading Rollercoaster. It's a great way for children to start afresh if they've been put off using the library because of money owed or if they have come across something which they had forgot that they borrowed.

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