If you have been avoiding your local library because you are yet to return that dog-eared book by your bedside, the ACT Government has good news for you.

From November 21, $1.86 million of existing fines owing to libraries for overdue book returns in the ACT will be erased, and libraries will no longer fine members for failing to return books.

The ACT Government has started a new chapter, clearing more than 47,000 fines — some dating as far back as 15 years — in which Canberrans were charged 25 cents a day for overdue books.

The largest single outstanding fine is $4,000.

City Services Minister Chris Steel said a large number of people who received late fees choose not to return to libraries again, which was the main motivation for abolishing the fines.

"Library fines in the ACT are gone. They have been erased and will no longer be charged," Mr Steel said.

"This is an important measure to make sure that particularly low-income Canberrans don't have any barriers in their way to accessing our fantastic library services.

"This is to attract people back into our libraries. We know in cities that have abolished fines that we've seen an increase in the number of borrowings, the number of people using our libraries and that's what we want to attract here."

But Mr Steel said libraries would still contact members to urge them to return their books.

"At the moment they're racking up fines and they're not coming back and that's not a good outcome," he said.

ACT libraries will still call Canberrans to encourage them to return the books. ( Unsplash: Banter Snaps )

The announcement sees the ACT join a number of libraries across Victoria which have already abolished late fees; Tasmania became the first state to do so in 2018.

Feedback from Tasmania's fine abolishment has been positive, particularly among communities with poor reading and writing levels.

"I know a family who stopped using the library because they had outstanding library fines," the Tasmanian Council for Adult Literacy's Lucy Whitehead said.

"They have four children in the family and now they're able to access books which is a fantastic outcome for a rural family with two unemployed parents.

"I'm hopeful that more people will borrow books because they have more time to read them; they're not under strict deadlines.

"Hopefully people who take more time to read will feel more comfortable borrowing books from the library."

As in other states, the cost of books considered lost or damaged may still be charged by libraries in the ACT, and a $6 administration fee will be incurred.