It was only a couple of weeks ago when the triumphant post appeared on the University of Galway Students’ Union’s Instagram account.
The news concerned the Hardiman Library, and the move to abolish fees on overdue books. Delivered in joyous fashion by the SU Vice President/Education Officer, Seán de Búrca, the post stressed all library fines would be gotten rid of and existing fines quashed, in a move seeking to alleviate pressure on students.
But while it seems a paradigm leap forward, is the new system really as infallible? And where does it leave us going forward?
To start with the facts according to the library website: all standard library book loans are renewed automatically, and students will not be notified or need to do anything for their automatic renewal. As of January 2026, late fees now no longer apply to books once they pass their final due date.
However, the asterisks pop up once you delve into the technicalities. The overdue period only applies to one month after the book’s final due date, after which the book is considered lost, and fines apply. While renewals remain automatic, books can be recalled (requested by another user). In this event, you receive a call or email from the library stating that the book must be returned, and you have 3-7 days to do so or fines will be added. All fines are paid through your library print credit account. At first glance it would appear that, with the exception of a month’s grace period for an overdue book, very little has changed.
Mr de Búrca explains the full list of what fines have been waived, with overdue fines applying to damaged laptops and equipment borrowed from the MakerSpace, including drones, cameras and VR headsets. For all other items no overdue fines are charged, however, users are responsible for the full replacement cost of any lost or unreturned books or equipment (deemed lost one month after the final due date).
The idea to remove overdue fees was first proposed by the university’s Library Strategy Committee, on which sit de Búrca and SU President Maisie Hall. The Committee wanted to bring the library policy in line with other universities around the country. The changes to the fines policy were approved in September, but only now been implemented. The reason, Seán says, was ‘because they had to change around the IT system.’ He tells me that the move was a joint effort between the entities involved.
“One thing to absolutely be stated is this wouldn’t have happened if it was just us, if anything, the bulk of the credit belongs with the library. They were just so sound.”
While Mr de Búrca acknowledges the underwhelming appearance of the changes, he believes that the grace period to return books is a good step.
“There’s that argument that it’s only a few euros in the difference for those six months*, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
The setup in the system is designed, therefore, to alleviate the pressure on the majority of students, while still having traceability for books not returned.
Traceability that, according to the library’s Head of Learning, User Support and Engagement, Evelyn Bohan, is still important, despite the relaxed restrictions. Evelyn informs me that, due to a majority of students not engaging with emails outside of term, the library will issue a phone call to students as a reminder to return their outside-automatic-renewal books after exams.
The library staff report to the Library Strategy Committee. The library also has full confidence that students will bring their books back on time, but they have nonetheless begun a campaign on their social media encouraging the returning of books.
Which leads to the million-dollar question for Seán, what incentive is there now for students to bring their books back? The Education Officer has a faithful outlook.
“I’m of the opinion that if you put more trust in people you will get more back. I know that there’s obviously going to be those worries about ‘what if no-one returns their book on time and I have an EU law exam next Monday, what am I going to do?’ But I think people are going to be sound and not be hoarding their books, and I have every bit of trust on that.”
And it is, as Seán reminds me, a stepping stone. The Students’ Union’s future campaigns aim to ensure the future of the Academic Writing Centre, clarity over fees for exam appeals and further progress in the seemingly perpetual battle for the eradication of repeat exam fees.
“There’s lots of these things; where it’s the sorts of small fees that actually don’t feed into the grand scheme for the university, but for students actually matter a whole lot.”
So, to sum up the removal of library late fees. The facts of the move are underwhelming in contrast to the original announcement, but it does propose a well-enforced and fairer policy for students with late books, and might just be the first leg of a journey to all-round improvement. Time will tell whether or not it proves the catalyst for better, whether it be for the library, Students’ Union, or the wider educational resources in our university.
*since shortened to 1 month to return books
Sonny McGreevy is SIN’s co-Sports Editor for 2025/2026. He is a third-year student of Creative Writing and a keen but mediocre golfer. It is his second-year writing for SIN. When he’s not slicing a golf ball into the nearest pond or peering over a fence at a local GAA pitch, he’s debating Irish foreign policy or ardently discussing the price of turf with a pint in hand in a sleepy pub in his native Roscommon.