From Mon., Feb. 8 until Sun., Feb. 28, you’ll have increased opportunities to reduce or clear your Novanet library fines by “paying” with food donations during Food for Fines.

The program has expanded in three ways this year:

• Value of fines waived per food item donated has increased from $2 to $3
• $50 cap on the amount of fines waived has been removed
• The program will run a second time this year, from Oct. 17–Nov. 6

Food donations will be given to the Dalhousie Student Union Food Bank, Feed Nova Scotia (recommended donations include cereal, pasta, canned vegetables, soups and stews) and the Colchester Food Bank (for donations made at the MacRae Library on the Agricultural Campus). Donations of canned goods or other non-perishable foods can be brought to the front desk at any of the five Dalhousie Libraries during regular hours. Cash donations are also accepted.

Dalhousie students, faculty and staff can pay off their fines this way. We also welcome donations if you don’t have overdue fines. “What started as a Dalhousie initiative more than ten years ago has grown to be a provincewide initiative including all of the Novanet libraries,” said Elaine.

Last year, the five Dalhousie Libraries collected 551 food items and $213.25 in cash donations. A total of $913.50 in fines were waived in exchange for food donations. Food items were divided between the Dalhousie Student Union Food Bank, Feed Nova Scotia and the Colchester Food Bank. Across Novanet, which includes all university and college libraries in Nova Scotia, a total of 1,817 food items were collected, as well as $609.25 in cash donations.