Media Release

5 August 2016

Fiction so free it’s flying off the shelves

Since Rotorua Library removed charges for its adult fiction collection, books have quite literally been flying off the shelves, says library director Jane Gilbert.

The decision to make adult fiction books free to borrow coincided with the library’s move to temporary facilities in Pukuatua Street.

While the move is temporary, the charges on the fiction collection have been permanently removed.

The Rotorua community has waited a long time for fiction to be free.

Throughout the library’s history there has been a charge on the majority of the recreational reading material for adults at Rotorua Library. Gilbert remembers 5 cent charges on adult fiction books in the 1960s. This charge had stayed at the same rate of $1 since 1991. While children’s fiction has always been loaned free of charge, Rotorua Library wants to encourage adults to read more fiction.

“Why should only children have all the fun?” says Gilbert, who would love to see more of our community enjoying reading. Reading fiction is not only pleasurable but it has many other benefits as well.

“It also improves creativity and inspires your imagination. There is growing evidence that it reduces stress and improves empathy. It’s good for you and now it’s free!”

Customers like Kathryn Beattie are giving the new policy the thumbs up.

“I used to go straight to the large print section for free books but now I have so many more to choose from, it’s great!”

To find more out about this exciting development and everything else happening at the new Rotorua Library, visitwww.rotorualibrary.govt.nz

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