The Innisfail Public Library is continuing a compassionate program to make a positive difference during these troubled economic times.
For the third month since last fall, the Food for Fines program will run in March at the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre.
The program asks citizens to bring in items for the Innisfail and District Food Bank and the library will deduct a dollar off fines for each item it receives.
Matthew Barabash, the library's manager, said the program ran last October and in February, and its success convinced him to continue it for a third month. He said three boxes of food were collected last October and another one last month.
“We had more than we expected,” said Barabash. “We completely filled our bin so it has been working out quite well.”
He said the program is not only an excellent way for citizens to settle their fines to the library, but also provides a vital community service for citizens who may be struggling because of the poor economy.
“We are seeing a large increase of people using the library because of the recession. There is a huge increase with people using computers for job searches and resume assistance. We do see that need,” he said.
“We've seen markedly that it's usually during the holiday season where you have a surplus of food, but it's often those other darker winter months in January, February and March when people don't really think about giving food,” added Barabash. “We wanted to maintain that spirit of still giving to the food bank here in Innisfail.”
Barabash noted the library also has a Pay It Forward Library Membership Program for citizens identified as having difficulty raising enough money to purchase a library card, an initiative that results in the library providing one for free.
“We just want to have these systems because we feel the library needs to be there for the people during a recession, and we want to contribute as much as we can – food wise, helping people with fines and helping people with library memberships,” he said. “It's really about just having better-off Innisfailians.”
Matthew Barabash
"We just want to have these systems because we feel the library needs to be there for the people during a recession, and we want to contribute as much as we can – food wise, helping people with fines and helping people with library memberships."
