FOOD FOR FINES

August 11, 2008

Annual Food for Fines Campaign Returns to JCL

Jefferson County Library will offer its annual "Food for Fines" amnesty to customers with overdue fines during the month of September. From September 1-30, borrowers with fines for overdue materials can have their fines erased by donating one can of food for each overdue item.

This is the fourth year that the library has offered the amnesty program. Last year the library collected 4,552 cans of food and cleared $7,220 in fines from its records as a result of the "Food for Fines" campaign.

"We’d like to increase our total this year," said JCL director Pam Klipsch. "With the economic hard times we are all facing, there are a lot of families in Jefferson County who are hurting. The Food for Fines amnesty is very popular with our customers and our staff," she said. "We’ve already had customers asking if we are planning to have the program again this year. In past years, we’ve had some people who don’t have fines that have brought in canned goods anyway."

There is no limit on the number or amount of fines that can be cleared, but bills for lost and damaged materials are not eligible for the "Food for Fines" program. The library does not accept any home-canned items, cans that are past their expiration date or are dented or damaged, or cans with bar codes that have been lined or scratched through. All the food collected will be donated to area food pantries.

For more information contact your local branch of the Jefferson County Library: Arnold Branch, 1701 Missouri State Road, Arnold (636-296-2204); Northwest Branch, 5680 State Road PP, High Ridge (636-677-8186; Windsor Branch, 7479 Metropolitan Boulevard, Barnhart (636-461-1914).