WITH Christmas only a few weeks away, Inverell Public Library has launched its third annual ‘Food For Fines’ offer.
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Library Manager Sonya Lange said it will run through to December 12, and gives people with outstanding library fines the chance to pay them with a donation of food to charity.
“So for example, if you owe $15 you can buy $15 dollars worth of non-perishable goods that are in good condition, in good quality and in-date to pay it,” Sonya said.
“Everything we gather over the next three weeks will be donated to the Salvation Army, for those people in need throughout the local community.”
Sonya remembered the lady during the first food for fines offer who had no outstanding fines, but went to the supermarket anyway and filled a trolley with things to donate.
“She didn’t owe us a cent. She was just so generous of spirit. We find that most people like to bring something in to donate, even if they don’t have any fines,” Sonya said.
“We’ve also had a few people saying ‘Now are you doing that again, we really want to be involved in that’.”
“The local Salvation Army are involved directly with the local community, and it is always good to know that your contribution is being utilised locally.”
Sonya said the first time the library ran food for fines it was quite a new concept, with only a few libraries doing it.
“I’d heard of it occasionally before, but this year there are quite a few doing food for fines,” Sonya said.
“The concept is out there. I don’t know that we can say we invented it, but it is certainly nice to see plenty of others doing it,” Sonya laughed.