Shed unwanted library fines this holiday season. The Central Arkansas Library System is continuing its annual tradition of helping those in need by holding its annual Food for Fines week beginning Monday, December 16 and continuing through Sunday, December 22.

The Food for Fines program gives patrons an opportunity to help others in central Arkansas while offsetting fines for overdue library materials. Patrons may donate non-perishable food items when returning overdue materials to erase the fine for that item as well as any other existing overdue fines. Each non-perishable food item brought represents one dollar. Patrons may donate up to ten food items to cancel up to ten dollars of fines. Food donations may not be used to waive charges for items that are lost or were previously billed to patrons. We encourage patrons to bring additional food items to help with the food drive.

Food collected during the drive will be donated to Arkansas Rice Depot, which has been working to alleviate hunger in Arkansas for more than 25 years. Donations will also be used to support Rice Depot’s Food for Kids program, which operates during the school year providing backpacks of “kid-friendly” food children can take home to eat during the weekend. Items needed for Food for Kids are ravioli, peanut butter, tuna, canned fruit, pudding cups, cereal and granola bars.