Students at Oxford University will not have to pay library fines until at least the end of the 2021/22 academic year.

Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries suspended fines for late returns in March 2020 and the university told the Oxford Mail this policy will continue for the 2021/22 academic year.

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Richard Ovenden, Bodley’s librarian and head of the Bodleian Libraries, said: “An amnesty for existing overdue fines which was recently implemented across the Bodleian Libraries was introduced in the context of increased access to e-books and resources for all library users.

“No overdue fines for the late return of books borrowed from the Bodleian Libraries are currently being charged and this adjustment will stay in place until the end of the 2021-22 academic year.

“Adjusting our fines policy was a conscious decision, made within our strategic priorities. Fee payments have no connection to student tuition fees, and any resulting loss of income incurred from this adjustment has been factored into Library budgetary planning for the academic year.

“Our future fines policy is currently being considered as part of moving to a new library management system in 2022, which will offer us different functionality, and any resulting decisions will be shared in due course.”

All existing fines relating to overdue items from the Bodleian Libraries have been already been cleared.

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