Feeling the pinch? It’s probably those library fines

Fines for late return of books to the Harold Cohen and Sydney Jones Libraries reached £120,000 last year, at a time when students are increasingly hard-pressed for cash.

Late fees and fines of £119,251.59 were collected in the 2011-12 academic year and an even greater amount, of £132,253.14, was collected in 2010-11.

If £9,000 tuition fees weren’t enough, library fines are just one of the hidden charges of a degree.

With around 17,000 students at the university,The Tab has worked out that last year’s fines average out at around £7 per student for books returned late to the library.

Many Liverpool students already find that using the printing facilities in the library is more expensive than actually buying their own printer.

This is coupled with the news that this year many Liverpool John Moores students received a £50 printing allowance, just for turning up.

In response to this Freedom of Information request, the University claimed that ‘removing fines would result in it being about 45% less likely that students would find the book they wanted’.

The university did not commit to reducing fines for late returns and lost items. Instead, fines are regarded as a revenue-raiser for the libraries to spend more on their upkeep.

LGOS conducted a campaign earlier this year to expose some of the hidden costs of a degree.

The Sydney Jones Library

The ‘Pound In Your Pocket’ campaign was also a key pledge in Guild President Sam Butler’s election campaign.

The Tab suggests spending a little less time on cheesy videos and a little more time keeping their word…