Page 3210 - Week 08 - Thursday, 16 August 2018

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Mr Gentleman: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) Room hire charges for Libraries ACT facilities are increased annually in line with CPI. In 2015, Libraries ACT updated the room booking system to a centralised system to ensure equity and fairness in access and hire arrangements and to provide customers with one centralised contact point. At this time current users were asked to periodically submit room hire applications so that library records remain current with contact details and to ensure that new groups have fair access in making a request. At this time the definitions of the categories of users – commercial, not for profit, government and free use were better defined.

In 2016, Libraries ACT implemented revised ‘Conditions of Hire’ regarding items being left in library community rooms by users.

(2) Total hours booked for the last three years are:

*These figures include usage by the Gungahlin College

(3) The rate has increased over the past three years.

(4) Thirteen complaints or queries have been received by Libraries ACT over the past two years. The queries related to:

• November 2016 - A community group questioning the type of category they had been charged.

• December 2016 - A complaint was received about the number of community groups/unregistered groups that use Libraries ACT community rooms, information about availability of rooms and the suggestion that Libraries ACT have a mobile booking app.

• January 2017 - A complaint was received about the processes for room bookings and the need for groups to renew their application periodically.

• March 2017 - A request was made for information and complaint made about how categories are defined and assessed. The hirer questioned the Commercial rate they had been determined at.

• March 2017 - A community group questioned the Not-for-Profit rate they had been determined at.

• July 2017 - A query was received regarding insurance, room usage, and funding information requested from applicants.

• A community group questioning the Not-for-Profit rate they had been determined at.

• October 2017 - A complaint about how categories are defined and assessed. The hirer questioned the Commercial rate they had been determined at.

• October 2017 - A customer disputed the invoice that had been issued after non-cancellation of a booking.

• December 2017 - A community group questioned the Not-for-Profit rate they had been determined at.

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