By Thom Morris

Borrowers in Sittingbourne are responsible for more than 400 books not being returned to libraries.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that between January 2009 and August 2010, revealed users of Sittingbourne Library in Central Avenue were the worst, having failed to return 290 books.

At Newington, 102 books were not returned and at Teynham, 15 books were kept by users.

The worst offenders in the county are from Ashford where 569 books were not returned.

The most popular tomes to have been swiped off the shelves and never returned are adult non-fiction titles which include cookery, knitting and travel books with more than 2,000 of them being kept at home. The non-fiction losses have cost KCC about £33,000.

Lowest on the choice of library books to go missing are reference books with just two titles having not been returned and costing £27.98. Musical fans have also kept hold of 18 scores costing more than £240 while comic book fans have held on to 118 graphic novels worth £1,140.

Across the county more than 7,000 books have never been returned costing the taxpayer more than £72,000.

Despite the £72,466 bill, KCC say there is a "slow but steady flow" of overdue books being returned to Kent's libraries.

Millions

Since August 618 books have been returned bringing the total number of missing books in Kent down to 7,274.

Kent has close to two million library books, so less than one per cent of that total have not been returned. Between April 2009 and March 2010 more than six million people checked out a book.

No library in Kent has managed to avoid a book going missing from the shelves.

The most popular month for visitors to swipe their favourite title was in September 2009 when 1,213 titles were not returned. February this year was the lowest with only 48 books left overdue.

What do you think? Email sittingbourne@thekmgroup.co.uk or write to 44 High Street, Sheerness, ME12 1NL