Borrowers pay off library fines by donating food to charity

Lazy book borrowers can get back in the good books at a Melbourne council’s libraries by swapping their overdue fines for a good deed. This is how.

Lazy book borrowers can get back in the good books at a Melbourne council’s libraries by donating food to erase their overdue fines.

Moonee Valley council has come up with an innovative scheme to ease the embarrassment of library debts and help a charity at the same time.

Borrowers at the northwest Melbourne council’s libraries can pay off their fines by making donations of food and other household goods to help families in need.

LANDMARK SITE COULD HOUSE CITY LIBRARY

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The Sam Merrifield Library in Moonee Ponds

Borrowers rack up thousands of dollars in fines every month.

The Food for Fines program has already wiped $5400 in library debts in just a few weeks of operation.

Donation bins at all of the five council libraries have been emptied several times as borrowers clear their debts. The donations have provided non-perishable food, toiletries and other essential items to the Helping Hands Mission.

Moonee Valley Mayor ­ ­Narelle Sharpe said the fines amnesty was a way of clearing library debts in a way that benefited the whole community.

Avondale Heights Library and Learning Centre.

“We have been overwhelmed by the response to the campaign,’’ Cr Sharpe said.

“Our libraries have run food collection drives to support Helping Hands for the past two years, but this is the first time we have combined the drive with an amnesty on fines.

“We estimate we have trip­led the amount of food and ­toiletries we would normally receive.’’

Fines of $2000 a month are racked up at each of the five ­libraries — Ascot Vale, Avondale Heights, Flemington, Moonee Ponds and Niddrie.

The idea for the fines ­reprieve came from a staff member who had seen similar schemes work in other ­libraries.

@IanRoyall

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