Buffalo City Metro Municipal Libraries have launched the Buyisa Book Campaign for September.
The library will have an amnesty on library fines on overdue books. The public is urged to drop off any library books that they may have in their possession and the books will be accepted at the library with no questions asked and no fines collected.
This initiative is to allow the practice of leisure reading and the running of the library to continue. A large number of books have been checked out but due to Covid, many of these books have not been returned.
It has become costly for the library to replace books as the fines are not enough to cover the costs of buying new books. The library is not a profit generated organisation and having the books returned will alleviate the strain on having to budget continually to replace books. As financial support for libraries dwindle, BCM libraries have turned to other means such as the Buyisa Campaign to enable people to return overdue books instead.
The amnesty on fines is strictly for overdue books only, and does not apply to lost or damaged books.