A FORGIVING tree program will offer Hepburn Shire residents an opportunity to donate food for people in need in order to waiver their overdue library fines. It is the first time the council has run the program, which was the idea of the shire's librarians, to align with the goals set out through the 'Libraries Change Lives' campaign. With between 800 and 1000 people utilising the Creswick library each week alone, the shire's libraries are busy community hubs. Sallyanne Boyle, the coordinator of customer experience at Hepburn Shire Council, said libraries were so much more than a place to borrow books in this day and age: they are "community lounge rooms" where people can connect with others, use computers and printers, access free wifi and sit in the comfort of heating or air conditioning as not everybody can afford it. But sometimes mistakes happen and borrowers accrue fines for overdue items that may increase over time with the borrower either avoiding or unable to make the payment. This means some people feel they cannot return to the space due to shame or embarrassment, fuelling social isolation. The program will run as a judgement free process, with each item of food donated resulting in $5 worth of fines waived from a patron's library card to encourage them to return to the space. Mayor Licia Kokocinski said the council was happy to embrace the initiative, which was successfully run at Casey Cardinia Libraries last year. "It is a fantastic initiative that provides residents an opportunity to start the new year with a clean slate," she said. "Libraries are really community spaces so we want to encourage people to make the most of them." Even though it will result in a loss of more than $6000 in income for the council and the library budget, like another recent initiative to waive entry to the shire's pools for the summer, it is about encouraging the community to feel comfortable using the spaces. Read more: Free entry at Hepburn pools this summer Each township has a nominated charity the food items will be donated to. The program will run from December 16 until January 31 at the Clunes, Creswick, Daylesford and Trentham libraries. Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.
GIVING: Creswick Hub's Amanda Edgar and Hepburn Shire Council Mayor Licia Kokocinski. Photo: Hayley Elg
A FORGIVING tree program will offer Hepburn Shire residents an opportunity to donate food for people in need in order to waiver their overdue library fines.
It is the first time the council has run the program, which was the idea of the shire's librarians, to align with the goals set out through the 'Libraries Change Lives' campaign.
With between 800 and 1000 people utilising the Creswick library each week alone, the shire's libraries are busy community hubs.
Sallyanne Boyle, the coordinator of customer experience at Hepburn Shire Council, said libraries were so much more than a place to borrow books in this day and age: they are "community lounge rooms" where people can connect with others, use computers and printers, access free wifi and sit in the comfort of heating or air conditioning as not everybody can afford it.
But sometimes mistakes happen and borrowers accrue fines for overdue items that may increase over time with the borrower either avoiding or unable to make the payment. This means some people feel they cannot return to the space due to shame or embarrassment, fuelling social isolation.
Ditchy's view
The program will run as a judgement free process, with each item of food donated resulting in $5 worth of fines waived from a patron's library card to encourage them to return to the space.
Mayor Licia Kokocinski said the council was happy to embrace the initiative, which was successfully run at Casey Cardinia Libraries last year.
"It is a fantastic initiative that provides residents an opportunity to start the new year with a clean slate," she said. "Libraries are really community spaces so we want to encourage people to make the most of them."
Even though it will result in a loss of more than $6000 in income for the council and the library budget, like another recent initiative to waive entry to the shire's pools for the summer, it is about encouraging the community to feel comfortable using the spaces.
Each township has a nominated charity the food items will be donated to.
The program will run from December 16 until January 31 at the Clunes, Creswick, Daylesford and Trentham libraries.
Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.
