"No one book was outstanding for more than four months because they were written off and steps taken to recover the cost from the customer. We try to balance easy access to the library collection, with looking after council's assets for everyone's benefit," she said.
For the year ended June 30, 2015 there were 1.72 million books borrowed and a total of 1,247,000 people visited the city libraries, including 423,000 online visits.
Ms Best declined to reveal how much borrowers currently owed in outstanding fees because the numbers changed daily, but said the most any one customer owed in late fees was $8 per item.
The longest overdue item ever was a book titled Anatole and The Poodle -- which was returned after 28 years and came back by mail from Australia.
"The family had packed it when they went to live in Australia and discovered it when they packed to move to another state in Australia," she said.
Ms Best said librarian Diane Taggart, who bought the book for the library back in 1983 recognised her own writing on the book pocket when it was returned.
The book was no longer in stock because it was so old and borrowers' tastes had changed over the years, she said.
A few years ago, a tooth-marked copy of the steamy novel Fifty Shades of Grey was handed back to Tauranga Library, causing a lot of hilarity among the librarians.
Tauranga City Council is currently undertaking a review of its library services.
Council earlier indicated it planned to freeze funding for new library books at $798,000 a year for 10 years -- effectively losing 20,000 books a year.
However, Mayor Stuart Crosby said there was no doubt the $798,000 a year figure was likely to change once the review was completed later this year.
Tauranga City Libraries
* Currently 2342 overdue books out of a total of 305,568 books, including almost 6000 e-books
* 824,000 library visitors - 12 months to June 30, 2015
* 423,000 online visitors for same period
* 1.72 million books borrowed July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015
- Tauranga City Council libraries
