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[NSW, VIC, QLD, SA] Donate a Can of Food to Have Your Library Fines Waived/Reduced by $2- $10 Per Can @ Participating Libraries

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[NSW, VIC, QLD, SA] Donate a Can of Food to Have Your Library Fines Waived/Reduced by $2- $10 Per Can @ Participating Libraries
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Katie2014 on 16/11/2018 - 12:08 lib.uts.edu.au (407 clicks)
Last edited 19/11/2018 - 13:56

Similar to this previous deal.

There are a couple of 'Food for Fines' programs running throughout November and December at various libraries.
Bring in a can of food, and your library fines will be waived or reduced (amounts vary from $2-$10 fine reduction per can of food).

NSW:
Kempsey Shire Libraries - From now until January 2019

Members are asked to donate one non-perishable food item per book fine to any of the Shire’s library branches in Kempsey, South West Rocks, Stuarts Point, and Hat Head.

Macquarie Regional Library - 1-31 of December 2018

Simply return your overdue items along with an item of non-perishable food, including packaged and canned goods, to any branch of Macquarie Regional Library during December and we will remove your fines.

Newcastle Regional Library - Monday 12 November until Monday 10 December 2018.

Library members with outstanding fees can clear $5 for every non-perishable food item and $10 for every toiletry item they donate, from their overdue fine ledger.

UTS Library - Monday 8 October to Sunday 25 November 2018

Students and staff can donate non-perishable items, including canned food, jars and packeted food (but no confectionery please). Items must not be damaged and the expiry date must not be before June 2019. For each item donated $3 is deducted and up to a maximum of $30 can be claimed off your fines.
Students need to make sure that outstanding Library fines are under $50 to receive spring semester results.

QLD:
Brisbane City Council Libraries - December 2018

In exchange for a donation of canned food for Foodbank Queensland, borrowers can return missing books, DVDs and other items to any of Brisbane’s 33 libraries without paying overdue fees.

Mackay Regional Council Libraries - From now until 9th of December 2018
From facebook:

Donate Christmas hamper food until Sunday, December 9, 2018 and we will waive your overdue fines.
Food items must be:
• non-perishable
• new and within the use-by date
• of equal value to the overdue fines being waived

VIC:
Geelong Regional Libraries - Monday 26 November until Friday 14 December

The GRLC will waive library fines in exchange for donations of non-perishable food items. Food products should have an expiration date of May 2019 or later.

Hobson Bay Libraries - Monday 19 November until Sunday 16 December.

During Food for Fines one item of food will be equivalent to $10 worth of overdue fines, with no limit on how much can be paid off. Food should have an expiry date of 2019 or beyond.

Mansfield Library - November 2018

Mansfield Library members who have overdue charges can bring in a non-perishable food item and receive $2 off their library fines per item in return.

Yarra Plenty Library - Donate food items from 16 November to 17 December 2018

  • Return that item that’s still sitting in your home and no fines will apply – even if it has been years!
  • Donate food items using our guidelines and fines will be removed from your library card.

SA
West Torrens Council - From Sat 10 Nov to 14 Dec 2018

One non-perishable food item equals two dollars in fines (no change).

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closed Comments

  • GG57 on 16/11/2018 - 12:11
    +3

    Win-win

      • GG57 on 16/11/2018 - 12:20
        +6

        I disagree, as the overdue book / library item has already occurred.

        The deal is:
        - wipe off of the fine (win)
        - donate a can of food (at likely < cost of fine = win)
        - food is donated to someone in need (win)
        - book / library item is back for others to enjoy (win)

        • Maverick-au on 16/11/2018 - 12:51
          -3

          The person who was waiting for the book according to you hasn't been inconvenienced or suffered any costs? Maybe they had to travel to another library to get this, maybe the BCC had to transfer the book from another library or maybe they had to buy the book. All of these are expenses.

          Why not do this with parking fines as well?

          The fine is partially there as a deterrent, if you can buy your way out with a cheap can of whatever why bother even issuing fines.

          If the book(s) are not returned it should be treated as theft which is what it is.

      • jjcf on 16/11/2018 - 12:46
        +2

        yeahnah. It's not like 'ratepayers' actually incurred an expense because some kid had that Spot book for two extra days.

        So no one is 'paying for this'.

        But top whinge jv-lite

        • Maverick-au on 16/11/2018 - 12:49
          -5

          Of course they incurred an expense, someone has to follow up on overdue books and it creates issues with people who have reserved books so libraries have to carry additional copies to cater for this.

          This is wiping out a fine that is revenue for the library which means ratepayers have to pick up the tab.

          If you can't be considerate and return a book that you have borrowed on time (or call up and extend it) then you deserve the fine.

          It's no different to saying that the council didn't occur any expense because you overstayed in the on street car park because there were two other spots available.

          In 2010 Brisbane City Council wrote off over $1.4 million in library fines with this amnesty. They could have been used to provide more services or lower rates.

          • jjcf on 16/11/2018 - 13:07
            +1

            @Maverick-au: lol, yes. the library definitely bought additional copies of a book in case someone returned it late.

            And there is a world of difference between your claim that ratepayers are 'paying for this' and 'uh well there was kind of theoretical revenue that we might have collected and so therefore its almost an expense i guess'.

            Take the L, son.

  • Enjj0y on 16/11/2018 - 12:32
    +1

    Councils should do this for parking fines as well.

    • GaryG on 16/11/2018 - 12:36

      It would need to be a lot more food to get close to the value of the fine.

    • Gravy on 16/11/2018 - 13:05

      I think the income from parking fines is likely factored in to council budgets to some degree.

    • misterpotatomato on 16/11/2018 - 13:29

      You are right but for some reason people can't see the equivalence. Both cases are more or less the same, the council hasn't incurred a cost for an overdue library book or someone parking in the wrong spot. I would suggest some types of offences be excluded (like, can of food is okay for parking 20 mins in a 15 mins zone, maybe not straight up parking on the footpath). I genuinely believe they would be giving up on too much revenue though.

      If you do get a fine from the council, make sure you always contest it! I got a fine once for $300 or so. I asked for a photo and they said upon reviewing it I wasn't in the wrong.

      After you have finished contesting it, escalate it to the third party review body. This whole process takes yonks while the money is still in your bank account offsetting your home loan etc. When the review body says you will have to pay, it will be many months after the initial due date.

    • ialam99 on 17/11/2018 - 00:01
      +1

      Next time you get pulled over by a cop for speeding…offer them canned food and see how you go :-)

  • twocsies on 16/11/2018 - 12:52
    +2

    A handful of councils are doing this in SA. From Sat 10 Nov to 14 Dec 2018, West Torrens Council says one non-perishable food item equals two dollars in fines (no change).

    • Katie2014 on 16/11/2018 - 13:29

      Thanks for that info! I've added it to the post :)

  • Gravy on 16/11/2018 - 13:04

    Interesting article regarding sydney library scrapping fines completely with good results https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/city-of-sydney-i…

    • Maverick-au on 16/11/2018 - 13:07

      How are they good results? Letting people do what they want and ruining it for those that do the right thing.

      • beefsandwich on 16/11/2018 - 13:24
        +3

        Stop trying so hard to find something to be angry about man.

        • Maverick-au on 16/11/2018 - 13:31

          So your logic is that because I don't agree with something that I'm trying to find something to be angry about….. yep awesome logic there.

          I don't agree with letting people who have abused a public FREE resource get away from paying fines that are absurdly small. If you can't respect the other users of this FREE resource you shouldn't be able to use it. But once again the people that do the right thing are the ones paying for those that don't give a stuff.

          There is no reason why anyone can claim they can't afford to pay the tiny fines.

          • beefsandwich on 16/11/2018 - 13:48
            +1

            @Maverick-au: I meant you're going through all the comments looking for something to upset you.

            Anyway, did you read the article Gravy posted? No fines = more books returned to the library = more people doing the right thing = more people getting a book when they want it.

            • Maverick-au on 16/11/2018 - 13:54

              @beefsandwich: The books are still being returned late which affects those that have a reservation or anyone that wants to borrow it and it's not there. The people that do not return books should be prosecuted but councils don't like doing this. If there are no fines why bother returning the book on time, just return it when you feel like it.

              The only people that are doing the right thing are those that return the books on time or call up to extend. The ones that return late don't care about others.

              Brisbane City Council already offers 14 days grace on returns before they start fining you.

          • [Deactivated] on 16/11/2018 - 20:35
            -1

            @Maverick-au: It's not free dude, it's part of the rates. Its a service,and if I had a choice I'd rather pay less rates , which BTW have risen way above inflation the past few years, than have a library.
            Which some could suggest are a left over legacy,from another era. Why are Councils providing library's anyway? It doesn't open at suitable hours for most people that work anyway.

            So if your a little late now and then,so what. It's better to encourage reading for the kids then not to go at all because of late fines.And if a few late books is too much, and I'm excluded then hey let's shut them down as they are no use to me.

            • Maverick-au on 16/11/2018 - 21:46
              -1

              @[Deactivated]: I know it's not free, hence why I'm saying that this is a direct cost to ratepayers on top of the running costs of the libraries which are already high enough. If the people that abuse the free service are not going to be fined for increasing the running costs what deterrent is there to do the right thing?

      • Gravy on 20/11/2018 - 09:53

        Read the article for explanation.

        • Maverick-au on 20/11/2018 - 10:37

          I did read the article but it doesn't change anything, the same people that abused the system before can keep doing it as there is no deterrent. Anyone who reserves a book is going to be waiting for it to be returned when the other person gets around to it.

          • Gravy on 20/11/2018 - 16:08

            @Maverick-au: The point is that the fine deterrent wasn't working, those people will continue to have overdue books anyway. The trial showed that without risk of a fine, people were more inclined to return to the library with overdue books.

  • FutureTech on 16/11/2018 - 13:38
    +1

    I have never incurred one cent of library fines in my whole life.

    Is that an accomplishment?

    • garage sale on 16/11/2018 - 19:09
      +2

      not if you don’t read or borrow books.

  • zzymurgy on 16/11/2018 - 13:46
    +1

    Nedlands WA has also run this in the past. Can't find any info online about this year though.

    • lomo on 16/11/2018 - 15:56

      Cheers for the tip. Will keep an eye out for this in Dec. But only looks like its the admin fee that is removed.

      from Nedland's Lib's last year's summer newsletter:

      "As we are leading up to Christmas, the Western Suburbs Libraries will be accepting donations of non-perishable food and other items instead of fines! All items collected at Nedlands, Mt Claremont, Subiaco, The Grove and Claremont Libraries will be gifted to The Salvation Army."

      "This is applicable to Western Suburbs Libraries This is applicable to Western Suburbs administration fees only. Please donate items to the library that generated the fees. Be quick, our Food for fines finishes up on Friday 22 December. You don’t need to have a fine to donate and to help deliver some Christmas cheer!"

  • OfTheOverflow on 16/11/2018 - 14:03
    +1

    I saw this at Wollongong library a few weeks ago actually, if anyone's interested!

  • tommy-darko on 16/11/2018 - 15:34
    +1

    Speaking of which; I found some Library books at my parents house from the early 90's the other day. Hate to think how much the fines would be for those..

  • garage sale on 16/11/2018 - 19:12
    -2

    hmm swap label from can of human consumption food with pet food can and hand in relabelled pet food can ….ahh the savings.

    • [Deactivated] on 16/11/2018 - 20:29
      -1

      Great, I owe Port Macquarie library $41 in fines

  • LustStarrr on 19/11/2018 - 09:27

    I wish SPER did this…

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