By: Rebecca Hudson
Murray County News Staffwriter
We’ve all heard the story of the library book found not just a few months, but years overdue and the astronomical fines associated with it. Of course there is reluctance to return the book because of the shameful stigma of being a book felon as well as the cost of paying a substantial debt to the library.
“Some people who have fines on their library account haven’t used their card in years,” Slayton Public Library Director Lori Stainer says. “And we’d rather you use the library – we want our patrons back!” And so the library is sponsoring its first ever “Food for Fines” and “Fine Amnesty” campaign this month.
Now patrons with long overdue books or outstanding fines will be, with a donation of non-perishable food items, absolved of their fines and overdue status forgiven during the week of November 27 – December 2 during the library’s event.
For every food item brought in the library will take off $1.00 in fines from their patron’s library account. In addition, patrons are encouraged to bring in replacement copies of books that they may have lost through the years. The food collected will be given to the Murray County Food Shelf, and the lost materials will once again be on the shelf for patrons to check out.
Overdue fines and lost books can mean lost patrons as well as revenue, Stainer says. “If we can get the items back and people using the library again then that’s a big value.” The folks who haven’t used their cards for years because it has been blocked for some reason are potential library users, she goes on to say. “And we would rather that you use the library.”
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