Don’t make reading a business too

From December 28 the Public Library had increased the fine for overdue books from Rs. one to Rs. five a day. Children who were charged 50 cents for each day the book was overdue are also to be charged Rs. 5 a day. Further, the fine is to be charged for the one day holiday in a week for the library and for public holidays which was not the practice hitherto.

The Public Library is not a business concern to increase fines like increasing the prices of milk powder, fuel etc., overnight. It is a service-oriented institution. The reading habit among the people has sadly decreased and every effort should be made to get the people back to the reading habit for their benefit. Increasing fines fivefold overnight, is not the way to get the people in to the habit of reading. It might make those few readers who borrow books from the library give up

Who took this decision? Was it the librarian or the library committee or the Council members?

By Arul, Colombo 13