Cat pictures used as currency to forgive late fees at this Massachusetts library

Cat pictures are now gold in Worcester, Massachusetts, as the local library launches a unique solution to late fees.

With the kick-off of “March Meowness,” the Worcester Public Library told the community that it would forgive any late and damage fees in exchange for cat pictures.

For the month of March, locals can come into the library and present any cat picture — a photo of their own cat, someone else’s cat, a wild tiger … or even a drawing — and have their outstanding fees waved, according to the library’s website.

Only a little over a week into the program, over 400 accounts have been cleared, according to WVIT.

And this new library currency isn’t all. March Meowness is a monthlong program that features a roster of cat-themed programming. Some highlights include a cat-eye makeup tutorial, a workshop with a cat behaviorist (to better understand your cat) and a screening of “Cats.”

The impetus for this feline-filled month was to get more people to come to Worcester Public Library, it said.

Public library usage has been in a nosedive in the U.S. since the early 2010s, with pandemic lockdowns only making things worse, according to Publishers Weekly. Now, librarians nationwide are looking for creative ways to get people back in their doors.

“We want you back at the library,” library staff said on their website.

They hope the monthlong program will quell any concerns about reentering the library, including guilt for losing or damaging a book by mistake.

“We understand accidents can happen, and sometimes fees might hold you back from fully using your public library. We hope that you will join us as we celebrate March Meowness at all of our Worcester Public Library locations.”

Worcester, a city of about 200,000 people, is about a 45-mile drive southwest from Boston.

Blind dog came to shelter as a stray — and needs new home. Meet the ‘sweet’ Pomeranian

Elephant mom gives birth to 265-pound calf after health scare, Arizona zoo says

Shelter cats spend months waiting for home — and form a ‘sweet bond.’ See them snuggle