Libraries are letting patrons pay off their fines by donating canned goods

It's National Library Week, and to mark the occasion, libraries across the United States are giving patrons with unpaid late fees a charitable way to get rid of their debts.

The Food for Fines program is simple: Bring a nonperishable canned food item to a participating library, and get credit toward your fine while filling the shelves at a local food pantry. Most libraries waive $1 worth of fees for every canned item, and some are also accepting pet food to donate to animal shelters.

National Library Week runs through April 13, but some libraries are offering the program all month. At the Thomas Beaver Free Library in Danville, Pennsylvania, people who don't even have fines are dropping off canned goods and pet items, director Kathleen McQuiston said. "We wanted to do something to contribute to the community, since the community has been very supportive of us," she told the Danville News.

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