Library fines reach £200,000 in two years

The University of Lincoln has raised almost £200,000 from library fines over the last two years.

In the 2010-11 academic year, the GCW University Library raised £102,455 from fines incurred by students. Meanwhile, £94,177 was raised due to fines on overdue books during the 2011-12 academic year.

The figures were obtained through a Freedom of Information request made to the University of Lincoln. Compared to previous figures, library fines stood at £89,902 in 2008/09, and at £95,127 the following year.

Former University of Lincoln student Oliver Gibbons said: “I’ve never understood the idea of complaining about library fines being ‘too high’.

“It’s really not that hard to return a book, or take it out for longer. I understand there are a few cases where people have circumstances that make it difficult to do so, but I reckon it’s mostly just people being lazy or forgetting, in which case, is your own fault.”

Sam Kelham, who currently studies Media Production at the university, said: “As long it gets pumped back into the university in some noticeable way, that’s fine. Students know the terms when they take a book out.”

Another student Rob Graham argues that the money is not being invested well enough: “Can they not do something with that £200,000?” He suggested the money was spent on more reliable computers.

The GCW University Library tweeted that the money raised “goes towards the cost of running the library and its services”.