LATEST figures reveal more than 10,000 books borrowed from local libraries are overdue - with one belated borrower holding onto their rental for more than SIXTEEN years.

The new data shows the average number of items not returned to the area's book depositories each year since 2007 was 685.

Last year more than 5,550 people rented items from local libraries.

The library service recorded more than 120,000 cases where items were issued in 2022, with over 1,750 audiobooks and more than 350 DVDs being taken out or renewed.

Figures for the last four years show rentals surged considerably in 2020 and 2021 due to items being automatically renewed to accommodate pandemic restrictions.

More books were taken out in 2022 than were taken out pre-pandemic in 2019, but fewer audiobooks and DVDs were issued.

Inverclyde Libraries had 21,799 members as of January 20, with 5,275 of them aged 13 or under.

The area's six local libraries have so far made £950 in overdue, lost and reservation fees in 2022/23, while almost £4,800 has been made from charges for photocopying and printouts from public PCs.

The council charges 10 pence per day for overdue books, up to a maximum of £3 per item.

For DVDs the charge is higher, at 65 pence, but the maximum charge per item remains the same.

Central Library was the most popular place to rent from last year, accounting for more than 50,000 book issuances.

Gourock Library and Port Glasgow Library were the next most used, with South West Library being the least used branch.

Richard Osman's debut novel 'The Thursday Murder Club' was the book most in demand and was rented 79 times last year.

It pipped Nicci Gerrard and Sean French's thriller 'Secret Smile' and Delia Owens' 'Where the Crawdads Sing' for the top spot.

The most popular audiobook was Alex Gray's 'Only the Dead Can Tell', while Marvel smash-hit 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' was the top choice for DVD rentals.

Only a single person has had to be removed from a library in the last four years, with staff asking an individual to leave from breaking behaviour rules last year.

The person was written to and allowed back into the library the following day on the condition that they adhered to the rules.