Thursday, May 29, 2008

Food for Fines: Idea for Library Food Drive

Here is an idea for a food drive at your local library. Many libraries nationwide do this to support their local food pantries. It is often a win-win since the pantry gets food and this encourages some delinquent library patrons to get their fines off of the books so the library can clean up their system and stop tracking fines they might never recover. All that may be necessary is proposing this to your local library director and appearing at a board meeting.

Here's an announcement for one that can help you think about some of the details that might go into one.
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Got some overdue books? The Morton Grove Public Library will be running a Food for Fines program this summer that can get you off the hook and help our community!

MGPL will accept food donations for the Niles Township Food Pantry from Monday 6/2 to Thurs 7/3. The short story is "1 can of food=fines for 1 item." Of course, you are welcome donate even if you have no fines at all!

Here are the details:

-- One can of food can be used to cover up to $5 in overdue fines on one item; there is no limit on the number of items for which fines are waived by a donation, as long as the number of cans donated equals the number of overdue items.

-- The exchange is strictly 1 can for 1 overdue item; one can cannot be donated to cover $1 fines on 5 items.

-- Donations can be used made when returning overdue items, or to cover unpaid fines on previously-returned items, again at the 1 can per item rate.

-- Donations cannot be used for charges for lost or damaged items, or for Interlibrary Loans; these items must be paid by cash/check.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

really glad to read your blog and to see that people who are very generous in giving donations..

Morning Glory Cottage said...

I think that this is a really innovative idea! I hope that many people take advantage of this opportunity and that loads of food will be donated.