Peterborough libraries launch 'no questions asked' amnesty to recover 22,000 overdue books
Watch a report by ITV Anglia's Stuart Leithes
A library missing more than 22,000 books has promised it will be "no questions asked" if they are quietly handed back.
The Peterborough service said overdue fines were being scrapped as part of a huge amnesty in the hope of recovering the missing books and boosting the number of people using it.
It is pleading with people to hunt out and return any overdue books with the promise of a clean slate for anyone currently in debt to the library service and unable to borrow.
Although fines are capped at £7 per book, with some missing since 2015, Peterborough libraries believes it could be owed about £154,000 in total.
But Firzana Shaheen, library services manager, said she was happy to forgo that money if it meant getting people back through the doors.
"We would like you to come back, we don't judge anybody," she said.
"Following the pandemic, the number of library users has reduced significantly, this is in part due to people being worried about owing the library service money.
"We all know how difficult it was during this time and many people will have forgotten they even had books on loan from us.
"In the current climate, we know how much people are struggling and don't want to add to that pressure but we do want our customers coming back to see us."
Even if a book has been lost, staff will waive the fine and reactivate a borrower's account.
The amnesty runs until mid November.
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