FREEHOLD – Food for Fines is one of several celebrations happening in the Monmouth County Library System through National Library Week beginning Sunday, April 12.
The annual Food for Fines program enables library users to absolve any accumulated fines when non-perishable foods are brought into the library with the delinquent books. All foods will be donated to the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean counties. Each food item brought in will reduce the fine by a dollar.
“This is a win-win situation for us all,” Acting Director Judy Tolchin said. “It gets our books back on the shelves so they can be used by others, enables our readers to eliminate the fines they’ve incurred and also helps the local food bank which is always so appreciative of what anyone can do.” She noted that anyone at the library is also encouraged to contribute to the food drive during the period, which ends April 25.
National Library Week is a 58-year old program sponsored by the American Library Association designed to celebrate the contributions the nation’s libraries and librarians as well as to promote library use and support. This year, with a theme of “Unlimited possibilities @ your library,” author David Baldacci is honorary chairman and many of his books are available at each of the county’s branches and members.
Within the Monmouth County system, several libraries have special events planned for the week, and have expanded its celebrations through the end of the month, Tolchin said. “We have all been through a most unusual winter of cold, snow and a delayed spring. The library has so many new ideas to offer, it seemed only natural to spread the activities out until the end of the month and focus on the variety of activities we can do now that it seems spring has arrived.”
The Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury is featuring a celebration of Keansburg photographs by Bill Jones, and there will be an artist’s reception at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 12. The Atlantic Highlands branch is continuing its chess classes for all at 10 a.m. April 25.
“Many of the programs featured during National Library Week are already popular favorites in our branches,” Tolchin said, “but setting aside a week to highlight the variety and broad spectrum of entertainment and education offered within our libraries gives those who have not experienced the library in a while the opportunity to see that it isn’t just books anymore.”
The annual Food for Fines program enables library users to absolve any accumulated fines when non-perishable foods are brought into the library with the delinquent books. All foods will be donated to the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean counties. Each food item brought in will reduce the fine by a dollar.
“This is a win-win situation for us all,” Acting Director Judy Tolchin said. “It gets our books back on the shelves so they can be used by others, enables our readers to eliminate the fines they’ve incurred and also helps the local food bank which is always so appreciative of what anyone can do.” She noted that anyone at the library is also encouraged to contribute to the food drive during the period, which ends April 25.
National Library Week is a 58-year old program sponsored by the American Library Association designed to celebrate the contributions the nation’s libraries and librarians as well as to promote library use and support. This year, with a theme of “Unlimited possibilities @ your library,” author David Baldacci is honorary chairman and many of his books are available at each of the county’s branches and members.
Within the Monmouth County system, several libraries have special events planned for the week, and have expanded its celebrations through the end of the month, Tolchin said. “We have all been through a most unusual winter of cold, snow and a delayed spring. The library has so many new ideas to offer, it seemed only natural to spread the activities out until the end of the month and focus on the variety of activities we can do now that it seems spring has arrived.”
The Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury is featuring a celebration of Keansburg photographs by Bill Jones, and there will be an artist’s reception at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 12. The Atlantic Highlands branch is continuing its chess classes for all at 10 a.m. April 25.
“Many of the programs featured during National Library Week are already popular favorites in our branches,” Tolchin said, “but setting aside a week to highlight the variety and broad spectrum of entertainment and education offered within our libraries gives those who have not experienced the library in a while the opportunity to see that it isn’t just books anymore.”
