Sarasota County libraries to offer Amnesty Week

Photo by Norman Schimmel

Patrons of Sarasota County libraries who have outstanding overdue items will be able to return them, without penalty, to any Sarasota County library May 14-19, county officials have announced.

Items must be returned in person to a circulation desk for the transaction to be completed and recorded, a county news release notes. Fines will not be waived for items returned in book drops or by mail.

“The primary goal of amnesty week is to encourage library patrons to return their materials and to return to using library resources,” said Libraries Public Services Manager Andrea Ginsky.

She noted the three important points for the public to remember about participation in Sarasota County Libraries Amnesty Week:

  • Visit a circulation desk to have overdue fines waived for previously returned items.
  • Bring outstanding items to a circulation desk; related fines will be waived.
  • Fees charged by the materials recovery agency will not be waived.

“We hope that many patrons will take advantage of this opportunity,” Ginsky added in the news release. “It can be a win-win outcome, by welcoming back former library patrons and returning outstanding items to the shelves, so that others may have access to them.”

The Sarasota County Library System, has nine locations:

  • Elsie Quirk Library, 100 West Dearborn St., Englewood
  • Selby Library, 1331 First St., Sarasota
  • North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd., Sarasota
  • Fruitville Library, 100Coburn Road, Sarasota
  • Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave., Sarasota
  • Osprey Library at Historic Spanish Point, 337 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey
  • Venice Library, 300 S. Nokomis Ave., Venice
  • Jacaranda Library, 4143 Woodmere Park Blvd., Venice
  • North Port Library, 13800 S. Tamiami Trail, North Port

For more information, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 861-5000 or visit www.scgov.net.