The Torras i Bages Library in Vilafranca del Penedès has made an appeal to users to return 470 borrowed documents that have not been returned in the last year, valued at over €7,300.
The Torras i Bages Library in Vilafranca del Penedès has called on citizens to return the books and other materials they have borrowed and that have not been returned within the established timeframe. In the last year, between July 2025 and July 2026, a total of 470 documents have not returned to the shelves, despite the centre sending up to three reminder notices, according to service regulations.
The unreturned items include 151 adult non-fiction books, 119 adult and young adult fiction books, 154 children's fiction books, 33 children's non-fiction books, and 13 DVDs and CDs. The replacement cost of each item ranges from €18 to €30, although for specialised works it can be much higher. Overall, the estimated loss is €7,350, an amount that directly affects the budget allocated for purchasing new materials and the availability of resources for other users.
The lending service is free, and the documents are part of a collective heritage that should be accessible to all citizens. When a book is not returned, it not only incurs an economic cost for the administration but also prevents others from accessing it. The library reminds that the goal is to preserve the documentary collection and ensure a quality service for everyone.
To facilitate returns, the Torras i Bages Library has a return box open 24 hours a day in the plaça de l'Oli, allowing users to drop off documents outside of opening hours. This service was implemented to provide a convenient alternative for users who cannot visit during working hours.
The library encourages anyone who still has a book, magazine, film, or any other document pending return to return it, even if the loan period has expired. Recovering these items helps optimise public resources and allows all citizens to continue enjoying a quality library service.
The centre emphasises that returning items does not incur any financial penalties, beyond losing the right to new loans until the situation is regularised. The aim is to recover the material, not to punish the user. The Torras i Bages Library, located in the centre of Vilafranca del Penedès, is a key facility for culture and knowledge in the Alt Penedès region.
This situation is not exclusive to Vilafranca, as it is repeated in many public libraries, where the lack of returned materials hampers the renewal of collections. In the case of Torras i Bages, the loss of €7,350 in a year represents a significant part of its acquisition budget, which could be used to purchase new titles or replenish the most in-demand ones.
The library hopes that the appeal resonates with users and that many of the pending documents will eventually return to their shelves. In the meantime, it reminds that the box in the plaça de l'Oli is operational 24 hours a day and that materials can also be returned during opening hours, Monday to Friday from 10 am to 8 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.
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