{"id":"alice-springs-public-library-bylaws-2009","name":"ALICE SPRINGS (PUBLIC LIBRARY) BY-LAWS 2009","slug":"alice-springs-public-library-by-laws-2009","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":174211,"registerId":"nt-alice-springs-public-library-bylaws-2009-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"ALICE SPRINGS (PUBLIC LIBRARY) BY-LAWS 2009","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nALICE SPRINGS (PUBLIC LIBRARY) BY-LAWS 2009\nAs in force at 1 July 2021\nTable of provisions\n1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1\n2 Enactment and commencement ...................................................... 1\n3 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1\n4 Hours of opening ............................................................................. 2\n5 Registration ..................................................................................... 2\n6 Fees and charges ............................................................................ 3\n7 Borrowers card ................................................................................ 3\n8 Effect of registration ......................................................................... 4\n9 Conditions of borrowing ................................................................... 4\n10 Loss or damage ............................................................................... 5\n11 Change of address .......................................................................... 6\n12 Suspension or cancellation of registration ....................................... 6\n13 Conduct in library............................................................................. 6\nENDNOTES\n\n\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 1 July 2021\n____________________\nALICE SPRINGS (PUBLIC LIBRARY) BY-LAWS 2009\nBy-laws under the Local Government Act 2019\n1 Citation\nThese By-laws may be cited as the Alice Springs (Public Library)\nBy-laws 2009.\n2 Enactment and commencement\n(1) These by-laws were made by special resolution of the Alice Springs\nTown Council on the 27th day of January 2009 pursuant to\nPart 13.1 of the Local Government Act.\n(2) These by-laws have force and effect from the 1st day of\nMarch 2009 or the date that they are notified in the Gazette\nwhichever is later.\n(3) The Alice Springs (Public Libraries) By-laws (Subordinate\nLegislation No. 36 of 1988) are repealed.\nNote for clause (1)\nThese By-laws were made under the Local Government Act 1993 (Act No. 83\nof 1993) and are continued in force by:\n(a) section 270(1)(b) of the Local Government Act 2008 (Act No. 12 of 2008);\nand\n(b) section 348 of the Local Government Act 2019.\n3 Definitions\nIn these By-laws:\nbook or material means a book, magazine, newspaper, pamphlet,\nmusic score, gramophone record, video recording, audio-tape\nrecording, compact disc, digital video disc, print, photograph, map,\nchart, plan, film, slide, microform, manuscript, toy, poster or other\narticle forming part of the contents of the library available for\nborrowing, reference or perusal;\nborrower means a borrower registered under By-law 5;\n\nAlice Springs (Public Library) By-laws 2009 2\nborrowers card means a current and valid borrowers card issued\nin accordance with By-law 6;\nCouncil means the Alice Springs Town Council;\nCouncil area means the area within a circle having a radius of\n100 kilometres having at its centre the Alice Springs Post Office;\ndetermined means determined by Council by resolution;\nlibrary means the Alice Springs Public Library (otherwise known as\nthe Nevil Shute Memorial Library) and includes any branch of that\nlibrary and any other public library that may be administered by\nCouncil;\nLibrary Manager means the person appointed to be responsible to\nCouncil for the management of the library;\nofficer means:\n(a) a person who is appointed or employed as an officer of the\nlibrary; and\n(b) an authorised person as defined in section 7 of the Local\nGovernment Act 2019; and\npenalty unit, refer Penalty Units Act.\n4 Hours of opening\n(1) Council must cause the library to be open to the public on such\ndays and at such hours as it may from time to time determine.\n(2) The Library Manager shall cause a notice stating the hours of\nopening to be affixed to the main entrance to the library or some\nother suitable place.\n5 Registration\n(1) Subject to clause (3) and By-law 12(2), the Library Manager must\non:\n(a) the application of a person permanently resident in the Council\narea; and\n(b) the production of evidence of that person's place of residence\nregister that person as a town borrower.\n\nAlice Springs (Public Library) By-laws 2009 3\n(2) Subject to clause (3) and By-law 12(2), the Library Manager may\non:\n(a) the application of a person resident outside the Council area;\nand\n(b) the production of evidence that that person has a permanent\npostal address in the Council area\nregister that person as a country borrower.\n(3) An application for registration by a person under the age of\n18 years (a minor):\n(a) must be signed by the parent or guardian of the minor; and\n(b) must contain a guarantee by that parent or guardian to pay\nany fees or charges incurred under these By-laws by the\nminor before he or she attains the age of 18 years and to pay\nfor any book or material lost or damaged whilst on issue to\nhim or her under these By-laws before he or she attains that\nage.\n(4) Registration shall be current for a period of 2 years and may be\nrenewed.\n(5) Despite clause (1) and (2), Council may determine any other\ncategory of borrower and the conditions of borrowing attaching to\nthat category.\n6 Fees and charges\n(1) Subject to by-law 8(2), there is no fee for registration as a borrower\nunder By-law 5.\n(2) However, Council may from time to time determine fees and\ncharges applying to the administration and enforcement of these\nby-laws.\n7 Borrowers card\n(1) Upon registering a person as a borrower under by-law 5 the Library\nManager must issue a borrowers card to that person authorising\nthat person to borrow books or materials from the library.\n(2) A borrowers card must be used only by the person to whom it is\nissued and is not transferable.\n\nAlice Springs (Public Library) By-laws 2009 4\n(3) A borrower must, when borrowing books or materials from the\nlibrary, present the borrowers card to an officer together with the\nbooks or materials.\n(4) Where a borrower loses or mislays a borrowers card that fact must\nimmediately be reported to the Library Manager or a senior staff\nmember.\n(5) Where a borrower loses or mislays a borrowers card the Library\nManager:\n(a) may issue a replacement borrowers card; and\n(b) must require the borrower to pay a sum determined from time\nto time in respect of that replacement borrowers card.\n(6) Where, in the opinion of the Library Manager, hardship or other\nspecial circumstances exist, the Library Manager may refund or\nremit the whole or part of the charge incurred under clause (5)(b).\n8 Effect of registration\n(1) Subject to these By-laws, a person who is registered as a borrower\nis entitled to:\n(a) borrow, free of charge, for use away from the library any book\nor material of the library which is designated by the Library\nManager as a book or material which is available for lending\npurposes; and\n(b) access, free of charge, such other services that the library\nmay from time to time provide.\n(2) Where the nature or value of a book or material is such that Council\nconsiders a borrowing fee should be charged, Council may from\ntime to time determine such a fee.\n9 Conditions of borrowing\n(1) The period for which books or materials borrowed from the library\nmay be retained shall be determined by Council.\n(2) A borrower may be required to return any books or materials to the\nlibrary by a date earlier than that on which the loan would otherwise\nexpire by a notice issued by or on behalf of the Library Manager\nand posted to the address of the borrower as shown on the library\nrecords.\n(3) The number of books or materials which a borrower may borrow\nfrom the library shall be determined by the Library Manager.\n\nAlice Springs (Public Library) By-laws 2009 5\n(4) Books or materials shall be considered to have been returned to the\nlibrary:\n(a) where the borrower delivers or causes them to be delivered to\nthe library or Library Manager; or\n(b) where the books or materials are posted to the library in a\nprepaid postage packet addressed to the library or Library\nManager, upon receipt by the Library Manager of the books or\nmaterials.\n(5) Where a book or material is not required for another borrower the\nLibrary Manager may extend the period of the loan.\n(6) An application by a borrower for the extension of a loan may be\nmade:\n(a) by presenting the book or material at the library for reissuing;\nor\n(b) in any other manner determined by the Library Manager.\n(7) Where a book or material is required by a borrower, but is not\npresently available for loan, then the Library Manager may reserve\nthat book or material for a borrower on completion by the borrower\nof an application form provided by the Library Manager.\n(8) Where an application form has been completed in accordance with\nclause (7), the Library Manager must notify the intended borrower\nwhen the book or material is available for loan.\n(9) Books or materials provided in the library for reference use only\nshall not be borrowed unless the Library Manager considers that\nspecial circumstances exist which warrant that they should be\npermitted to be taken from the library.\n10 Loss or damage\n(1) The borrower is responsible for the safe care of, and for the return\non or before the due date of, all books or materials borrowed.\n(2) Where a book or material is damaged when on loan to a borrower\nthe borrower must, on returning that book or material, report the\ndamage to the Library Manager.\n(3) Where a book or material is not returned after due notice requesting\nits return has been given by the Library Manager, or is lost when on\nloan to a borrower, or on being returned is on examination found to\nhave been damaged or to have sustained loss of value, the person\nwith whose borrower's card the book or material was borrowed\n\nAlice Springs (Public Library) By-laws 2009 6\nmay:\n(a) be required by the Library Manager to pay the cost of or\nrelating to replacing the book or material or to repairing the\ndamage; or\n(b) may instead, with the approval of the Library Manager, provide\nthe library with a replica of the book or material.\n(4) A borrower who complies with clause (3)(a) or (b) in respect of the\nloss of any book or material does not by so doing acquire any\nproperty in the item, and, if the item is subsequently returned to the\nlibrary, the Library Manager may direct the repayment to the\nborrower of the whole or part of any sum paid or the return of any\nreplica provided by the borrower.\n11 Change of address\n(1) A borrower must, within 7 days of changing address, notify the\nLibrary Manager of the change.\n(2) A person registered under by-law 5(1) who permanently leaves the\nCouncil area must, before leaving or within 7 days after, return the\nperson's borrowers card to the Library Manager.\n12 Suspension or cancellation of registration\n(1) Where a borrower fails to comply with these By-laws the Library\nManager may suspend or cancel the borrower's registration.\n(2) Where a person’s registration is cancelled under clause (1), the\nLibrary Manager is not obliged to subsequently register the person\nas a borrower.\n13 Conduct in library\n(1) If in the opinion of the Library Manager or an officer the behaviour,\nconduct, condition, dress or manner of a visitor to the Library is\nlikely to:\n(a) cause offence to any other person in the library; or\n(b) interfere with the use and enjoyment of the library by another\nperson\nthe Library Manager or officer may direct that person to leave the\nlibrary.\n\nAlice Springs (Public Library) By-laws 2009 7\n(2) A person who does not immediately leave the library after being\ndirected to do so under clause (1) commits an offence.\nPenalty: 1 penalty unit\n\nENDNOTES\nAlice Springs (Public Library) By-laws 2009 8\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nAlice Springs (Public Library) By-laws 2009 (SL No. 1, 2003)\nNotified 18 March 2009\nCommenced 18 March 2009\nLocal Government Act 2019 (Act No. 39, 2019)\nAssent date 13 December 2019\nCommenced pt 8.6: 1 July 2022; rem: 1 July 2021 (Gaz S27,\n30 June 2021)\nAmending Legislation\nStatute Law Revision Act 2020 (Act No. 26, 2020)\nAssent date 19 November 2020\nCommenced 20 November 2020 (s 2)\nLocal Government Amendment Act 2021 (Act No. 15, 2021)\nAssent date 25 May 2021\nCommenced 26 May 2021 (s 2)\n3 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\nbl 2 – 3 amd Act No. 39, 2019, s 370","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The by-laws appear to have expanded beyond a purely library-focused purpose. The inclusion of Chapter 8 under the Northern Territory Electoral Commission suggests the legislation has been extended to cover electoral functions (such as the library serving as a polling place or electoral enrolment point), which goes beyond the original intent of governing a public library's operations."},"complexity_factors":["Dual agency administration (two separate government bodies responsible for different chapters) adds a minor layer of structural complexity","The involvement of the Northern Territory Electoral Commission in Chapter 8 introduces an unexpected regulatory dimension that may not be immediately obvious to readers","As subordinate legislation (by-laws sitting beneath a parent Act), readers may need to refer to the enabling Act to fully understand the legal framework","Limited metadata available (no gazette number, no maker specified) makes it harder to trace the full legislative history"],"plain_english_summary":"The Alice Springs Public Library By‑Laws 2009 set the routine rules governing use, conduct, borrowing and administration of the Alice Springs Public Library. They apply to all visitors, members, staff and the council bodies that run the service.\n\nThey matter because they regulate access, protect library property and can impose fines, bans or charges for damage or loss. One chapter involves the Northern Territory Electoral Commission, indicating the library’s role in electoral services."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains focused on its original purpose of regulating public library operations in Alice Springs. The 2009 by-laws replaced earlier 1988 by-laws but maintained the same essential scope. The 2021 consolidation updated references to the Local Government Act 2019 without expanding the substantive content beyond library membership, borrowing rules, and conduct requirements."},"complexity_factors":["Short document: only 13 by-laws plus definitions and commencement provisions","Minimal cross-referencing: only occasional references to other by-laws within the same instrument (e.g., 'By-law 5', 'By-law 12(2)')","Simple conditional logic: mostly straightforward 'if-then' structures without nested exceptions","Limited defined terms: 10 definitions in section 3, all relating to straightforward operational concepts (borrower, library, Council area, etc.)","No complex statutory interpretation issues: operates under a single enabling Act (Local Government Act) with clear authority","Practical, operational focus: rules are procedural rather than creating substantive legal rights or complex regulatory schemes"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this is:** These are the rules that govern how the Alice Springs Public Library operates and how people can use it.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Residents** of Alice Springs and surrounding areas (within 100km of the post office)\n- **Visitors** to the library\n- **Parents/guardians** of children under 18 who want to join\n\n**What it does:**\n\n**Joining the library:**\n- People living within 100km of Alice Springs can register as \"town borrowers\"\n- People living outside that area but with a local postal address can register as \"country borrowers\"\n- Kids under 18 need a parent or guardian to sign up and promise to pay for any lost or damaged items\n- Membership lasts 2 years and can be renewed\n- Registration is free (though there can be fees for special items)\n\n**Borrowing rules:**\n- You get a borrower's card that can't be shared with others\n- You must show your card when borrowing\n- Loan periods and borrowing limits are set by the Council or Library Manager\n- Books can be renewed if no one else wants them\n- You can reserve items that are currently out on loan\n- Reference-only items usually can't be borrowed unless there are special circumstances\n\n**Your responsibilities:**\n- Look after borrowed items and return them on time\n- Report any damage immediately\n- Pay for lost or damaged items (or provide a replacement copy)\n- Tell the library within 7 days if you move house\n- Return your card if you move away permanently\n\n**Consequences:**\n- If you break the rules, the Library Manager can suspend or cancel your membership\n- If you refuse to leave the library when asked (for bad behaviour, inappropriate dress, or disturbing others), you can be fined 1 penalty unit\n\n**Why it matters:** These rules ensure everyone can fairly access library resources while protecting the collection from damage or loss. They balance open access with practical accountability."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"These by-laws repeal the earlier Alice Springs (Public Libraries) By-laws 1988 and are continued under later Local Government Acts (see By-law 2(3) and the Note to clause (1)). The current instrument retains an administrative scope over library operations and adds explicit delegations to Council and the Library Manager for setting hours, fees and borrower categories (see By-laws 4, 5(5), 6(2)), with minor amendments recorded to clauses 2–3."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow, administrative subject-matter limited to library operations (low conceptual complexity).","Multiple delegated discretions to Council and the Library Manager (hours, fees, borrower categories, enforcement) (see By-laws 4, 5(5), 6(2), 8(2), 9(1), 12(1)).","Standard administrative processes and compliance steps (registration, renewal, parental guarantees for minors, card replacement, address notifications) (see By-laws 5(3)-(4), 7(4)-(5), 11(1)).","Simple enforcement and sanctioning regime: suspension/cancellation of registration and a single offence with a penalty unit for failing to leave when directed (By-law 12(1); By-law 13(2)).","Cross-references to external instruments and higher legislation (Local Government Act, Penalty Units Act), requiring attention to other statutory contexts (see Enactment note and Definitions)."],"plain_english_summary":"These by‑laws set the operational rules for the Alice Springs Public Library: opening hours, borrower registration and categories, borrower cards, borrowing periods and limits, fees, charges for lost or damaged items, staff powers to suspend or cancel registrations, and conduct rules including a penalty for failing to leave when directed.\n\nThey apply to library users (including minors), the Library Manager and Council. Council determines hours, fees and borrower categories; the Library Manager administers registration and enforcement; borrowers are liable for replacement cards, loss/damage costs and must notify address changes."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/alice-springs-public-library-by-laws-2009","history":"/api/acts/alice-springs-public-library-by-laws-2009/history","analysis":"/api/acts/alice-springs-public-library-by-laws-2009/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/alice-springs-public-library-by-laws-2009/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/alice-springs-public-library-by-laws-2009/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/alice-springs-public-library-by-laws-2009/documents"}}