Fees & Charges

The Fees & Charges below apply to both Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes Libraries unless specifically stated otherwise. These Fees & Charges may be updated by each library in accordance with its Membership Terms and Conditions.

Loans and Overdues

*When issued to a Junior or Young Adult Borrower’s card.

Other Charges

Queenstown Lakes Libraries

*In addition to the cost of the replacement item - see 'Lost and Damaged' items description below

Central Otago Libraries

Our Fee Policies

Overdues

We send a reminder email 3 days before an item is due to help you keep track of your check-­outs. If an item falls overdue, notices are sent via email or posted once the item is 1 week overdue. Fines will accumulate until the item is returned or paid for (Junior Borrower fines will be waived upon return of the item). Once an item is 6 weeks overdue it is considered lost and you will be sent an invoice detailing replacement costs, handling fees and accumulated fines.

Renewals

Library members can renew items online by logging into My Account using their library card number and PIN. Otherwise you may request to renew items in person, via email or by phoning your local branch. If an item is on hold for another library member, it cannot be renewed. You may renew any item twice. Any renewals to chargeable DVDs will incur additional standard rental fees.

Placing Holds (Reservations)

• For Queenstown Lakes Libraries' adult memberships there is a $1 fee to hold (reserve) any Adult or Junior item. For Queenstown Lakes Libraries’ junior memberships holds are free on any Adult or Junior item.  
• All Central Otago Libraries borrowers can place holds on items free of charge.
• If Pickup Branch at any Queenstown Lakes Library is selected, a hold for any Adult borrower will cost $1.
• If Pickup Branch at any Central Otago Library is selected, a hold for any borrower is free.
• The first available copy in any library in the district will be sent.  If the item is available in a full-time branch, normal turnaround is 3-4 days.
• We will email or phone you to let you know that the item has arrived.  Once notified, you have 10 days to collect the item.

Interloans

If we do not have the resource you want in our libraries, we can try to obtain or 'interloan' it from another library in New Zealand. There is a minimum charge of $7 - $10 to cover postage and handling. See our Interlibrary Loans page for more information.

Lost, Non-Returned and Damaged Items

If you return an item that is in need of repair there will be a charge of $10 to cover mending costs. This includes replacement CD covers and DVD cases, the mending of books, and replacement of book covers. If the item is so damaged that it needs to be replaced you will be charged the cost of the replacement item plus a $10 dollar processing charge. Lost or Non-Returned items are also charged at the cost of replacement plus a $10 dollar processing charge. Decisions on costs for items over ten years old are made at the discretion of the Library Manager.

Payment Methods

As of 30 June 2021, we no longer accept cheques in payment of library fees.

Rounding

The library applies Swedish Rounding principles to the rounding of cash transactions. The following rounding principles apply:

• rounding down to the nearest 10 cent value for sales ending in 1c, 2c, 3c, 4c;
• rounding up to the nearest 10 cent value for sales ending in 6c, 7c, 8c, 9c; and
• according to normal rounding rules, values at a 5c interval are rounded up to the nearest 10 cent value,