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Fines Forgiven for Food

DANVILLE, Pa. — Overdue library books are something many of us are familiar with. One library in our area is taking a creative approach to forgiving fines...

DANVILLE, Pa. -- Overdue library books are something many of us are familiar with. One library in our area is taking a creative approach to forgiving fines for overdue books.

The Thomas Beaver Free Library in Danville is a busy place with people reading and using the computers. But it could be busier.

Library Director Kathleen McQuiston says there are a lot of people with late fines and that is preventing them from coming to the library.

"We've all done this. You forget to bring the book back. It starts to accumulate," McQuiston said.

To bring people with late fines back to the library, McQuiston started Food for Families.  If you donate a can of food to the library, your late fee will be forgiven.

"It doesn't even matter how large their overdue fine is and how much food they're bringing in. We just want people to come in, bring in some food, and we will wipe their overdue fines," McQuiston explained.

All the food will be donated to the Danville/Riverside Food Pantry.

Grace Hall of Jerseytown brought in some canned goods.

"The food bank was there when I needed it and now I can help them and somebody else out," said Hall.

Even so, library employees are finding out most of the people dropping off these items don't even have overdue fines.

"People are just bringing in food in bags and boxes. It's absolutely incredible," McQuiston said.

"It's only a couple of cents but after a while, it adds up. If this can help somebody else out, then good," Hall said.

The promotion runs through the end of next week.

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