Local library trades canned goods for overdue fines

JACKSON, Tenn. — Good news if you are behind on getting those borrowed books back to the library. The Jackson-Madison County Library says it will forgive your overdue fine, as long as you bring in canned foods to be donated to a local charity.

“It’s a great way to give people a chance to clear their accounts of fines they may have encountered,” said library director Dinah Harris.

“Food for Fines,” the Jackson-Madison County Library is excepting canned goods in lieu of overdue fines.

“One can good is equal to $1. And the canned goods we collect we give to RIFA,” said Harris.

The library does not allow borrowers to keep checking out books if they have a fine exceeding $5 and people are taking advantage of this opportunity.

“It’s always a very popular program because a lot of people cannot afford to pay the fines,” said Harris. “They look forward to this time where they can clear their accounts to be able to use it again.”

Not only is the library offering food to cover outstanding fines, but if you have overdue materials right now, additional fines are not being added to your account.

“Fine-free’ is just for fines. It’s not for replacement costs. If people don’t return materials they still have to pay for materials.”

A late book fine is 10 cents a day but a late DVD is $1. So if you check out the maximum of four DVDs and you are five days late, that quickly becomes a $20 fine.

“We’re not really gonna make a lot of money off of fines, that’s not the purpose of them. It’s just to get people to return their items.”

The library is collecting canned goods through Saturday, August 13.