Fine Free Aotearoa

Friday 1st July 2022

New Zealanders benefit from Public Libraries going fine free.

More than half the public libraries in New Zealand (53%) have removed fines for overdue items for adults. Most libraries (89%) are already fine free for children and young adults.

Public Libraries of New Zealand (PLNZ) launched a campaign last year to help all public libraries remove late fees. Fine Free Aotearoa is a step-by- step guide to help library managers, council members, and communities build a better and brighter future through engagement with their local library.  The toolkit provides FAQs, case studies, statistics, templates, posters, business cases, and more.

District Library Manager Matamata-Piako, Melanie Brebner has joined the campaign and used the tools saying "It has all been really useful in pointing me in the right direction, especially the business case template."

“Fines were meant to get borrowers to return their books on time,” says Auckland Librarian, Louise LaHatte, the Project Lead for the campaign. “But the reality is that fines act as a barrier to all the important things libraries have to offer. If people can’t pay their fines, they stop coming to the library.”

Public Libraries today are a valuable part of our social infrastructure, a place to be connected, to learn, to access trusted information, and a platform to ensure our communities get the very best out of life.  

“Going fine free opens doors for everyone, not just those who can afford it,” says Louise.

Contact Public Libraries of New Zealand or visit Fine Free Aotearoa