| Wayward Wimpy Kids come home | Wayward Wimpy Kids come home | | <img alt="" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/PublishingImages/dunoon_header.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | <div>The City’s Library and Information Service has concluded one of its most successful Fine Free Weeks, with more than half of the outstanding items safely back on the shelves.<br></div><div><br><br></div><p><br></p> | <div>Fine Free Week, from 18 to 23 March, took place during South African Library Week 2024.</div><div><br></div><div>At the start of the amnesty period there were 35 411 items outstanding, valued at R3,9 million. </div><div><br></div><div>By the end, 18 583 items had been returned, worth approximately R2,2 million, and accounting for roughly 52% of the outstanding items.</div><div><br></div><div>The Library and Information Service also waived 20 275 fines during the period.</div><div><br></div><div>It is a massive increase compared to Fine Free Week in 2023, when only 19% of the more than 39 000 outstanding items made their way back. </div><div><br></div><div>The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by author, Jeff Kinney topped the list of outstanding items, as has been the case for several years.</div><div><br></div><div>The top six items returned during the most recent amnesty period are all part of the series:</div><div><table cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="ms-rteTable-default"><tbody><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:50%;"><strong>Title</strong></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="width:50%;"><strong>Copies returned</strong></td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default">Double down</td><td class="ms-rteTable-default">13</td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default">The deep end </td><td class="ms-rteTable-default">13</td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default">The third wheel</td><td class="ms-rteTable-default">12</td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default">Wrecking ball</td><td class="ms-rteTable-default">11</td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default">The meltdown</td><td class="ms-rteTable-default">11</td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default">Big shot</td><td class="ms-rteTable-default">9</td></tr></tbody></table><br></div><div>‘Ideally we would want every single item returned, but fifty percent is a far sight better than twenty, and so I want to thank those patrons who heeded the call, and returned their overdue material. Not only does it mean others can now enjoy these materials, but it is also a fresh start for those patrons whose fines have kept them away from the library. I also want to encourage others who are still holding on to overdue material to please come forward. Every book returned to the shelf is one more precious resource in our library collection and means that the available budget can be directed to growing that collection instead of merely replenishing it,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><strong>End</strong><br></div><p><br></p> | 2024-04-08T22:00:00Z | GP0|#1d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70;L0|#01d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70|City news;GTSet|#62efe227-07aa-45e7-944c-ceebacca891d | | | | | GP0|#1f61ec30-8889-4114-8411-a3ee8477bc1b;L0|#01f61ec30-8889-4114-8411-a3ee8477bc1b|Libraries;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb;GP0|#154736ab-5338-49eb-9408-f0f91e625bce;L0|#0154736ab-5338-49eb-9408-f0f91e625bce|Fine free week;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
