DOWAGIAC — Feeling not so fine about library fines?

For the rest of the month, the Dowagiac District Library is offering a way for patrons to pay overdue fines without having to open their wallets.

On Nov. 26, The Dowagiac District Library started up its annual Food for Fines Program, which will run until Jan. 4.

The program, which has been hosted several times, acts as a last chance to take care of library fines before the new year. Patrons can bring in canned, non-expired and other pre-packaged foods into the library, and their fines will be forgiven. Each item brought in will erase a $1 off of an existing fine. If a patron brings in 10 food items, all fines will be erased. All library items must be returned prior to the fines being erased.

In conjunction with the C. Wimberley Automotive’s annual Feed the Hungry campaign, Jim Allen, the chairperson, picks up the food items from the library, which are then used to help feed families in the Cass County area.

“If somebody has racked up say $30 in late fees, they can bring in 10 cans, and it will clear out the whole fine,” said Brad Ruminer, library coordinator at the Dowagiac District Library.

Melissa Phillips, the youth service coordinator, added some patrons will have fines built up from July and will wait until the Food for Fines Program to bring in their nonperishable items.

The library staff also witnesses patrons bringing in cans who have no late fines at all but want to donate to the good cause.

“This is a good time to do this,” Phillips said. “It’s a one-stop shop. They can get their books and just donate anyways.”

Phillips said she thinks a majority of people who donate do so because of the fines being cleared. She also described the program as a win-win for all parties involved.

“It’s a win for our patrons because it is a cheaper way for our patrons to clear their fines,” she said. “It’s also a win for our food pantries that are often lacking this time of the year and are in desperate need for donations.”

In the past, staff said the program has been highly successful. The program used to run for a one-week time period, but has since been extended throughout the entire holiday season because of its popularity. Patrons were bringing in items past the deadline, and the library was still accepting them to donate to local food pantries.

“It makes sense because this is a harder time for people financially,” Phillips said. “We decided to open it up through the week of Thanksgiving to the beginning of the year.”

As the library prepares to collect food items, they want to remind patrons that lost and damaged library items will not be included in the food for fines programs. As the library gears up to accept donation items, a box will be stationed near the library’s front entrance to collect donations.

“It’s people helping people,” Ruminer said holding up a can of corn. “It helps everybody.”