Food For Fines April 10th-17th to Benefit Helena Food Share
March 28, 2016 (Helena, MT)—During April, libraries in schools, campuses, and communities nationwide celebrate the dynamic changes that happen in today’s libraries. April 10-16 is National Library Week, a time to highlight the changing role of libraries, librarians, and library workers.
Libraries today are about more than what they have in their collections. Libraries today are about what they do for library users as well as their community. Your Lewis & Clark Library is again partnering with Helena Food Share to provide Food for Fines during National Library Week.
“Food for Fines has become a Lewis & Clark Library tradition and a way for your Library to help our Helena Food Share meet their mission of creating a hunger free community,” explained Lewis & Clark Library Director, John Finn.
Public Desk Manager Lisa Skelton explains that Food for Fines is an important outreach opportunity for the Library as well as for the community, “During National Library week in 2015, the Library took in 1,145 pounds of food and $97.16 in donations and waived a total of $2,012.99 in fines. In addition, the East Helena and Lincoln branches each collected a bin of food for their local food pantries.”
Food for Fines is easy, simply bring in non-perishable food items along with all of your over-due library items to the Library and the Public Services staff will waive your fines.
Some restrictions do apply, however. Patrons must have all over-due items turned in and must present their Food Share donations in order to have their account cleared. Patrons with accounts in collections, or who owe for damaged or lost items, will not be able to benefit from Food for Fines.
The Lewis & Clark Library will donate all collected food items to the Helena Food Share. “This is a fantastic opportunity to clear up your Library account while helping out your community at the same time,” commented Finn.
The main branch of the Library at 120 S. Last Chance Gulch, as well as the branch libraries in Augusta, Lincoln, East Helena, and the Bookmobile will accept food share donations in lieu of fines from April 10th-17th. For more information, please contact the Public Services staff at 447-1690 ext 5 or log onto www.lclibrary.org.
For more information about Helena Food Share and the services they provide, log onto: http://www.helenafoodshare.org.
First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April.
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