INFORMATION RELEASE
Media Contact: Heather O'Connell
(239)
461-2924 or hoconnell@leegov.com
Library’s 'Get off The Hook’ Program Nets $430,000 in Returns
FORT MYERS, Fla., May 7, 2007 – More than $430,000
worth of lost and overdue books, DVDs, and CDs are back on the shelves at Lee
County Library System.
The Lee County Library System (LCLS) held its first amnesty period
in more than 8 years from A
The total value of returned items is $430,405.53. The amnesty cost $19,698.65
in waived late fees.
“We’re very happy to have so many items back and available for library users,”
said LCLS Community Relations Coordinator, Heather O’Connell. She added that
the returns also give the library more active users.
Before
the Amnesty, 10,504 library users had more than $25 in overdue items and late
fees. As a result, they were no longer allowed to borrow items from the
library. As of May 1, nearly 5,900 of them had brought their accounts back to
good standing.
”We had a 56% response rate among those library patrons; now they can go
back to enjoying all the library has to offer,” O’Connell said.
In surveys, many respondents who indicated they were returning overdue items
said they would now use the library’s online and 24-hour automated phone
account information to track their due dates. Others said they were signing up
for e-mail alerts or would use downloadable books, which never have a late fee.
The Amnesty brought the total value of overdue items down from $584,177.17
to $188,408.67. Over a million dollars in lost items and fees are still due.
“Now we’re working on recovering those items,” O’Connell said.
To do that, the library has started working with Unique Management
Systems, an agency that specializes in recovering library materials and fees.
“We are now referring any past due accounts of $25 or more to the
agency,” O’Connell said.
Accounts that aren’t paid within 30 days of the original due date
are past due. Meaning those who didn’t take advantage of the amnesty
O’Connell says those who return items and fees immediately can avoid a $10
service charge.
”If you can’t pay the full costs, just contact your library to
make payment arrangements,” she said, adding that, “the library offers so many
free items, helpful services and great activities; we want to work with you so
you can enjoy them.”
More information on the materials recovery
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