Trafford Council to abolish all library fines in April

Trafford Council will be the first authority in the country to abolish library fines which comes into affect in April this year.

The council sends a welcome message to the residents of the borough that they will have access to a completely free library service, and that the decision will overcome evidence that suggests the charge is putting people off from using the library service. 

This change also aligns with the Vision 2031 ambition of ‘no one held back, no one left behind’ as there would be no barriers, either actual or perceived, of people accessing libraries and all they had to offer.

The Council notes that most learning of literacy happens in the first 11 years of a child’s life, as does the development of a person’s love of reading and therefore supports a further policy change that will result in every child whose birth is registered in Trafford receiving a library card and a book start pack.

With this welcome news it would also be nice to have free printing services limited to 5 sheets of A4 paper and extend the free computer access from 30 minutes to 1 hour.