The Catskill Chronicle

Steve Sharoff, Library Trustee (left) and Steve White, Director of the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless in Monticello, N.Y. (right) alongside one of the two shopping carts full of food collected during the library’s ‘Food for Fines’ program earlier this year.

MONTICELLO – Many patrons with overdue fines on their library cards took advantage of the ‘Food for Fines’ program offered by the library earlier this year. So much so that two shopping carts full of food were donated to the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless in Monticello.

Patrons whose fines total more than $5 have their borrowing privileges suspended. For every nonperishable food item they brought in $1 in fines was removed from their card. Patrons were able to start borrowing again – and in the process they assisted in keeping the shelves in the Federation for the Homeless kitchen stocked.

“This was a win-win proposition,” states Alan Barrish, library director. “The Federation needs the donated food – and we want all our patrons coming in to use the many free services and materials the library has to offer.”

To find out more about the library and how to get a library card (free to all residents of the towns of Thompson, Bethel and Forestburgh within the Monticello Central School District) please call (845)794-4660 ext.6.