Food for Fines program benefits local hunger relief efforts

Emporia State University students scoured their cupboards again this spring to help local food distribution programs operate. And in doing so, they erased overdue book fines that they would have owed to ESU’s William Allen White Library.

The ESU Libraries and Archives “Food for Fines” program collected a total of 1,316 food items, each equaling a dollar’s worth of library fines.

“Students and other library patrons had about a month to bring in non-perishable canned goods and packaged items to the library’s circulation desk,” said Terri Summey, head of distance and access services for White Library.

Summey and other library workers loaded up the food items and donated them to Emporia’s  Salvation Army food pantry.

The program will be held again toward the end of the 2009 fall semester.

Last Updated June 3, 2009>