DEVON County Council's library in Okehampton is testing an innovative new way for customers to return their library books.

Working in partnership with Waitrose, library users will be offered the convenience of returning borrowed books, CDs and DVDs to a drop box located in the store during longer supermarket opening hours, while they shop or when the library is closed. The experiment, which launched this week, is a first for Devon Libraries and if successful could roll out across the county.

Cabinet member for Devon Libraries, Cllr Stuart Barker, said customers will be able to put overdue items in the drop box and pay their fines next time they visit the library.

He said: 'The returns will be collected on a daily basis from Monday to Saturday, with no extra fines incurred for items left at Waitrose on a Sunday – but not checked in at the library until Monday. This new scheme is all about working together in partnership with other organisations in our local communities and demonstrates that we can improve services without extra cost by applying innovative new ideas.

'It's really good news for the people of Okehampton because it gives them an extra opportunity to return borrowed items at their convenience and outside normal library opening hours. I hope that this will not only give current library users more flexibility, but also encourage new users to support their local library.'

For more information on the new drop box phone Okehampton Library on 01837 52805 or see the information leaflets in Waitrose and Okehampton Library.

l Pictured from left to right is the first user of the drop box, Iris Grant, Waitrose branch manager, Damian Heard, West Devon Borough Cllr, Christine Marsh and Okehampton Library's Carole Cornwall.