HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 Resolution No. 046• RESOLUTION NO .~
SERIES OF 2006
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A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ENGLEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY TO
IMPLEMENT THE "SUMMER FOOD FOR FINES " PROGRAM FROM MONDAY , MAY 22
THROL'GH SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 2006.
WHEREAS , the Englewood Public Library has sponsored a "Food for Fines" program si nce
1990; and
WHEREAS , the "Food for Fines " program allows patrons with overdue fines to "pay" them
off through the donation of non-peri shable food item s; and
WHEREAS , the food items arc then forwarded 10 the lnlerFait h Community Services for their
"food bank " distribution to financially disadvantaged families in the Englewood area ; and
WHEREAS , the program is a benefit 10 the community in that the di sadvantaged arc assiste d;
the air cle ared with respect to fine s; the City receives its library materials back and the program
pre se nts a positive image of the Library and the City .
NOW, Tf'EREFORE , BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ENGLEWOOD , COLORADO, THAT :
Section I. The Eng lewood City Council hereby authorizes the Englewood Public Library's
implementation of the "Summer Food For Fine s11 program from Monday, May 22, through
Sunday , June 4, 2006. The collected food will then be forwarded lo the Interfaith Community
Services for di stribut ion to financially di sadvantag . d families in the Englew ood area .
ADOPTED AND APPROVED thi s 1st of May . 2006.
I, Loucrishia A. Ellis , City Clerk for,t~'i City ofEnglcwood, Co
above is a true copy of Resolution No . .'±le, Series of2 .
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COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
I A1enda llem: I Subject :
9 c Iii Englewood Public Library 's "Summer Food for Fine;• ,________·-----~------.-~-------------------;
Date:
May 1, 2(J(}lj
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Staff Source:
Hank Long, Director of Library Services
Initiated By:
Library Department
COUNCIL GOAL ANO PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION
The Library has sponsored this popular program since 1990, and each year City Council has voiced
its support. In 2003 , the annual Fo od for Fines program was expanded to twice a year, at the
request of the Library Bo ard ar.J subsequently approved by City Council for two weeks during the
summer as we ll as two weeks at the end of the calendar year as a way to mitigate th, increase i~
Overdue Library Fines "' •J as a way to encourage the timel y return of Englewood Public Library
(EPL) materials so that they can be used by more people . The two weeks of the Summer Food for
Fines program covers the last week JI th e public school year and the first w~ek of va cation, a time
during which students an d teacher, are cleaning out desks an d lockers in preparation for the
summer break and numerous overdue Library materials are located, whereas the two weeks of the
Winter Food for Fines program tradi tio nally cove rs th e period between the Thanksgiving and
Christmas holidays . Hist or ica ll y, each of these two biannual events averages $1 ,000 to $1,500 in
donated food items for the lnterF;1th Community Services food bank.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
The Library Department recommends City Council approval of a Resoluti on au thorizing the Library
Department to implement its 2006 Summer Food for Fines program from Monday, May 22 through
Sunday, June 4.
BACKGROUND, ANALYSIS, ANO ALTERNATIVES IDENTIFIED
For the past 16 yea rs, the En1Jlewood Publ ic Library has provi ded its "Food for Fines " program as a
way for those patrons with fi nes on their overdue EPL materials to "pay" them off through the
don atio n of non-perishable food items that are, In turn, forwarded to Interfaith Community
Service1 for their •food bank " dis tribution to financially disadvan taged families in the Englewood
area . Following 2003's increase in maximum Ove rdue Fines from $2 to $5, the Library Board
requested that the number of food items required to pay off a single Overdue charge also be
lrcreased beginning with the 2004 Winter Food for Fines program, e.g. it now takes two food jtems
to cancel out the late charg•~s (not lost or damaged charges) on one overdue jtem . These food
items must be presented to the library Staff at the Circulation Desk In order for the fines to be
cleared from Ire patron's computer record . This program has been warmly received and supported
by the public since Its Inception, and Library patrons now look forward to it as a way of helping
others while relieving the ir own financial obligations. Thus, the program presents a positive Image
of the Library and the City and Is a "win-win ' situation for everyone involved .
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Since Its Inception , this program has raised approximately $25,00!>+ In donated non-
perishable food Items to assist needy families In th~ Englewood area.
• The money the Library collects each month In "late charges" il,e. charges on books and other
EPL Items return,~d past the original "due date" and past the three-day "grace period") g es to
the City's Genera! Fund . These revenues traditionally drop about 50% during each of the
Library's two-week r-ood for Fine~ progran:s , b1 1t ine loss is more than offset by the "good
will" this program generates ~rnong Library patrons and by getting the Library materials back
on the shelves so that others can use them.
UST OF ATTACHMENTS
Resolution .
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