COUNTY OVERDUE BOOK FINES WAIVED DURING AMNESTY DAYS.

Byline: Sharon Cotal Staff Writer

Los Angeles County Public Library patrons who have overdue books - and you know who you are - can return them through March 5 without having to pay a penalty.

During Amnesty Days, held in conjunction with the county's 150th birthday, overdue books and materials can be returned free of charge to any of the 84 county libraries and three bookmobiles.

Nancy Mahr, spokeswoman for the county library, said many patrons are too embarrassed to return long-overdue books or think the fine will be incredibly high.

``So they just hold on to the material instead of bringing it in, and that's how materials get removed from the library and not returned,'' Mahr said. ``But with an amnesty period, people can get the books out of their homes and back into circulation.''

During the last amnesty program in 1986, more than 63,600 borrowed items were returned and $25,000 in fines were waived during the two-week period. The oldest book had been checked out 23 years earlier.

Unfortunately, no one knows the story of the 23-year-old book, because one of the policies of Amnesty Days is that the library staff doesn't ask questions, Mahr said.

Because the County Library has many more library cardholders and books in circulation than it had in 1986, Mahr expects even more materials to be returned during this amnesty period.

But, unlike 1986, the library's inventory is now online, which will make processing all the waived fees much easier.

Valencia Library Manager Andrea Kish worked at the Canyon Country Library during the last amnesty period and remembers having to pull every record by hand.

``Now everything is on computer, so I haven't even scheduled the staff to work extended hours during Amnesty Days,'' Kish said.

The oldest book received at the Canyon Country Library in 1986 had been overdue for a decade, Kish said.

``The person who returned it said they had been too embarrassed to bring it in before, but since all was forgiven they were able to bring it back,'' she said.

The amnesty offer applies only to borrowed materials checked out at any county library and returned during Amnesty Days. Fees for lost or damaged items, item request fees and Friends of the Library rental materials are not included. Also, unpaid fines charged for books or materials which were returned before today are not part of the amnesty, and must still be paid.

OPEN HOUSE AT LIBRARIES

In celebration of Los Angeles County's 150th birthday and the beginning of Amnesty Days, an open house will be held today at branch libraries in the area. Here's what's happening at the Santa Clarita branches.

Open house will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Canyon Country branch, 18536 Soledad Canyon Road. The R'Wanda Lewis Afro-American Dance Company will give a lecture, workshop and performance. Refreshments will be served. For information, call [phone].

The Newhall branch, 22704 W. Ninth St., will host an open house from 2:30 to 5 p.m. A magician will perform and make animal balloons for the kids. Information about library services and programs will be on display and refreshments will be served. For information, call [phone].

Open house at the Valencia branch, 23743 W. Valencia Blvd., will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Musician David Kinnoin will perform for the children and there will be demonstrations of the library's government services terminal and the public Internet terminal. A history of the library will be on display and refreshments will be served. For information, call [phone].

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