2008 Woodie Awards
'Food for Fines' helps both students and the poor
Jonnathan Coleman, Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/18/07Section: News
The second annual Food for Fines drive,
organized by the St. John's University
library, began on April 10, and will last until
May 20 on both the Queens and Staten
Island campuses.
Food for Fines first came about when
Brian Mikesell, Associate University
Librarian for Systems and Services, proposed
the idea to Marilyn Narson supervisor
of the Circulation Department, in the fall of
2006.
Thanks to this program, students holding
overdue books from the school's library can
return their books with a food donation and
their late fines will be forgiven.
Library fines for overdue books run anywhere
from a minimum of 20 cents to a
maximum of $5 per book. One food item
will replace the payment of one overdue fee,
regardless of monetary amount, while students
who have multiple overdue books will
have their fines reduced from the lowest to
the highest amount. Food donations will not
take the place of a lost or damaged library
book.
Non-perishable food items can be
brought to the circulation desk, located on
the second floor of the library. A basket of
food goods will be placed conveniently for
students to drop off their donations.
All donations from the Queens campus
will go to Our Savior Lutheran Food Pantry,
while the donations from the Staten Island
campus will go to Project Hospitality.
Additionally, food items collected during
the month of April will be donated to the
Feinstein Challenge, a program aimed at
eradicating hunger in America.
The Feinstein Challenge, which is sponsored
by the Feinstein Foundation, will
award grants to the organizations and universities
involved in the challenge.
Associate Professor Andrea McElrath of
the Staten Island Campus, and Associate
Professor Ann Jusino of the Queens campus,
were both instrumental in making Food for
Fines a success.
"The Fall Food for Fines drive was
excellent," said Narson. "We collected
1,100 food items, and canceled over $2300
in late fines between us and the Staten
Island Campus. It was the first time in the
10 years I've been here that I saw a smile on
someone's face when they were coming to
pay off a library fine."
When asked whether the program would
expand throughout the campus, so that students
could bring in food items to pay off
parking tickets or resident community fines,
Narson stated, "Right now this is just a
library thing."
While the library would prefer to get its
books back on time, being able to donate
food to local charities more than makes up
for the lost revenue.
"Students, staff, and library administration
have all been very enthusiastic about
the program," said Narson. "In all probability,
we will do it again next fall."
organized by the St. John's University
library, began on April 10, and will last until
May 20 on both the Queens and Staten
Island campuses.
Food for Fines first came about when
Brian Mikesell, Associate University
Librarian for Systems and Services, proposed
the idea to Marilyn Narson supervisor
of the Circulation Department, in the fall of
2006.
Thanks to this program, students holding
overdue books from the school's library can
return their books with a food donation and
their late fines will be forgiven.
Library fines for overdue books run anywhere
from a minimum of 20 cents to a
maximum of $5 per book. One food item
will replace the payment of one overdue fee,
regardless of monetary amount, while students
who have multiple overdue books will
have their fines reduced from the lowest to
the highest amount. Food donations will not
take the place of a lost or damaged library
book.
Non-perishable food items can be
brought to the circulation desk, located on
the second floor of the library. A basket of
food goods will be placed conveniently for
students to drop off their donations.
All donations from the Queens campus
will go to Our Savior Lutheran Food Pantry,
while the donations from the Staten Island
campus will go to Project Hospitality.
Additionally, food items collected during
the month of April will be donated to the
Feinstein Challenge, a program aimed at
eradicating hunger in America.
The Feinstein Challenge, which is sponsored
by the Feinstein Foundation, will
award grants to the organizations and universities
involved in the challenge.
Associate Professor Andrea McElrath of
the Staten Island Campus, and Associate
Professor Ann Jusino of the Queens campus,
were both instrumental in making Food for
Fines a success.
"The Fall Food for Fines drive was
excellent," said Narson. "We collected
1,100 food items, and canceled over $2300
in late fines between us and the Staten
Island Campus. It was the first time in the
10 years I've been here that I saw a smile on
someone's face when they were coming to
pay off a library fine."
When asked whether the program would
expand throughout the campus, so that students
could bring in food items to pay off
parking tickets or resident community fines,
Narson stated, "Right now this is just a
library thing."
While the library would prefer to get its
books back on time, being able to donate
food to local charities more than makes up
for the lost revenue.
"Students, staff, and library administration
have all been very enthusiastic about
the program," said Narson. "In all probability,
we will do it again next fall."
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