More libraries in Kentucky's Kenton County are letting kids and teens pay library fines by reading books.

Under the plan called Fresh Start Club, introduced years ago by the Mary Ann Mongan Library in Covington, children up to 17 years old who incurred fines for not returning borrowed books on time can pay off the debt at a rate of 10 cents for every minute that he or she reads a book at the library. The reading is monitored.

Lise Tewes, children services coordinator at the Erlanger Library, said the scheme allows young library patrons to take responsibility for their fines.

Erlanger Library and William E. Durr Library in Independence are branches of the Mary Ann Mongan Library. The libraries started offering the Fresh Start Club this year.

Book borrowers can no longer check out books, CDs or DVDs from the Mary Ann Mongan Library if they have an accumulated library fine amounting to $10. They have to pay the entire amount to be able to borrow materials again.