The donation bin at the Medicine Hat Public Library has already been emptied numerous times. (Photo Courtesy Derek Brade)

By Chris Brown

With CHAT Food Drive

Erase library fines with food donations

Nov 4, 2021 | 3:50 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – If outstanding fines are keeping you away from the Medicine Hat Public Library there’s a solution that can get you back to borrowing and helping out people in need.

The library is running its Food for Fines program until Nov. 17.

In exchange for each item donated at the library to the CHAT Food Drive for the Root Cellar, $1 in fines will be wiped off your account, up to a maximum of $20.

Chief librarian Ken Feser says there are two reasons the library runs the program.

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“One we support the food bank, or the Root Cellar as it’s known now, and really believe in their mission and want to assist and help bring community efforts together to help get food in the hands of people who need it,” he said. “The other thing for us, library fines, they’re a barrier to people and we do need to have some rules around when stuff comes back but at the same time if people have fines accumulated we’d like to give them away to get out from under that and come back and start using the library again.”

Items needed by the Root Cellar:

• Canned tuna/chicken
• Rice
• Pasta & pasta sauce
• Soups/canned meals
• Canned fruits/vegetables
• Cereal
• Sugar
• Peanut butter & jam
• Pancake mix & syrup
• Dish soap & laundry soap
• Feminine hygiene products

The library is also accepting cash donations for the food drive.

When you stop by to donate you can renew your library card for free thanks to The Sweetness Bakeshop.