Backlash over council's $90 street library rule: 'Disgraceful decision'

Melissa Forbes is an avid reader and wanted to do something nice for her community. So, when she saw an old Street Library box for sale on Facebook Marketplace, she snapped it up.

After refurbishing the book box, she erected it on the nature strip outside her home in Moreton Bay, Qld, hoping to create a friendly environment for her neighbours to swap books. However, one of those neighbours was clearly not on the same page.

Forbes, 38, told Yahoo Lifestyle the ensuing council involvement has led to a situation akin to a “comedy skit you couldn’t make up”.

RELATED:

• Aussie's 'risky' travel hack for long haul flights divides: 'Do this all the time'

• Aussie calls out infuriating behaviour from parents: 'Cross the line'

• Aussie dad's $15 Bunnings trick to solve common caravan issue: 'Anyone can do it

'Illegal'

“A few weeks after it went up, a council worker knocked on my door on a Sunday and asked me if I had a permit for the street library,” Forbes told us. “He said there had been a complaint about it and said it was described as ‘an illegal book box’”.

Forbes had registered her box with Street Library.org - a website that shares the locations of all the libraries in the country - but she hadn’t reckoned on a council permit.

“It was just a bit of fun, a nice thing to do,” Forbes said. “He said he’d give me until the end of the week to apply for a permit, but if I had no luck, it would have to come out."

Shock twist in street library battle

A week later, after a flurry of phone calls, emails and a hastily filled-in permit application, the same council worker phoned Forbes back.

“He said the permit had been declined. It fell under not being an accepted alteration of public land and he said the box had to come out by the next weekend.”

The council suggested Forbes could seek public liability insurance for the street library, but at around $90 a month, that wasn’t a route she was interested in taking. She also didn’t want to put it behind her fence line and on her property, as advised, because that defied the point of a street library.

“I may as well invite people into my house to look through my bookcase,” she said. “I get that rules are there for a reason and you can’t have things obstructing the pathway but this was silly.”

Disappointed and upset, Forbes took the book box down and then posted on the local Facebook page telling people the Street Library was gone.

Local backlash to council decision

The community, most of whom were happy to see the Street Library installed, were bemused by this new development.

“I think the library is amazing! The council should be encouraging initiatives that build community ties. To whoever complained, there are far bigger issues in the world,” wrote one local.

“What a great incentive for the community to reach out and try new books, stop them going to landfill...Your idea was great,” said another.

Given the more important things locals believed their council should be focusing on, they wanted action taken against the decision.

“I’ve lodged an objection with council...this is a disgraceful decision,” wrote one.

“Absolute joke this council...Get a petition going for it to stay. Good luck,” said another.

One of Forbes’s colleagues did start a petition which quickly garnered around 300 signatures but, instead of fighting council, Forbes started planning a workaround.

The illegal book box is born

Instead of putting the Street Library inside her fence line Forbes found a way to attach it to her fence, like a post box and, before she did, she gave it a bit of a rebrand.

“I’ve called it an Illegal Book Box,” Forbes said. “Now it makes me laugh every time I look at it.”

Installed for a few days, she’s not sure what will happen, but so far, council has not come knocking, and the locals are elated.

When contacted by Yahoo Lifestyle, The City of Moreton Bay Council said, "Following a complaint to Council, we worked closely with the owner of the street library on its placement. It had been constructed in line with a bus shelter and footpath obstructing people’s movements and impacting public safety.

"We are pleased to see the library has been moved closer to the fence line as Council suggested so as not to impede access and it can continue to be enjoyed by the community."

SHOP:

• 💸 Kmart, Bunnings shopper's simple $4 trick for saving hundreds each year: 'Worth it'

• 🧸 Aussie brand's 'amazing' new range to help bad sleepers: 'Perfect solution'

• ☕️ 'Love it': $2.25 item the secret to perfect at-home coffee

“Excellent result. Terrific for the community,” wrote one on the community Facebook page where Forbes shared the news of the library's new location.

“This is such great news. I will definitely stop by and browse,” said another.

Forbes has also made the whole novel-worthy tale into an Instagram story which has blown up.

“It’s had 400,000 views,” Forbes said. “I think the Illegal Book Box is now the most infamous Street Library in South East Queensland.”

Want the latest lifestyle and entertainment news? Make sure you are following us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok and don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter.