Library offers amnesty

The Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead County Library System is unveiling "The Prodigal Book" initiative, a program to initiate a return of items currently listed as lost or overdue.

The library system is offering an amnesty period from March 2 through March 14. Any overdue item, whether it be two days or three years, can be returned to any library location during this period without penalty.

Currently tallied, about 6,565 items are lost and/or 90 days plus overdue and represent about 5 percent of the library's total collection. The estimated replacement value is $128,342; coupled with an estimated processing cost of about $65,650, it brings the total replacement value to $193,992 - an amount equal to an entire year's budget for new and current additions to the collection.

"What we're trying to accomplish here is twofold," Library Director Kim Crowley said. "Primarily, we want to get our materials back so they will be available for others to use and enjoy.

"Just as important, along with the lost items, we want to bring back to the library those customers who have been avoiding returning a lost item due to accumulated fines."

The end of the amnesty period, March 15, will mark the beginning of the new enforcement phase regarding lost materials. Collections will be administered by UNIQUE Management Services, a third-party library specialty provider. At that point, patrons will be assessed the replacement cost of the lost item, plus a collection fee and a restocking fee.

For more information, visit www.flatheadcountylibrary.org or stop by any Flathead County Library location.