Starting Monday students will be able to donate nonperishable food items in exchange for relief of their overdue library fines.

Senior circulation assistant Paula Bowles said donating nonperishable items is a great trade-off for students who do not want to pay fines with their own money.

“When people have to pay overdue fees, they get a little bent out of shape,” she said. “We see that when people give can goods, they seem to like that more.”

Bowles said the libraries enjoy having the drive during fall semester because holidays are approaching and people are more likely to donate items.

“When you get things like Christmas and Thanksgiving, people are more apt to give,” she said.

Dan Forrest, coordinator of access services, expressed a similar sentiment saying people tend to be in a more “giving mood” around the end of the year, which the community benefits from.

Bowles said one canned food item is equivalent to $1 relieved from a student’s fine. Last year, 703 items were donated, totaling more than $700 worth of waived fines.

“Hopefully, we can increase that this year,” Bowles said.

The items donated will be give to the United Way of Southern Kentucky, which will disperse the items.

The items must be brought to the 4th floor of Cravens Library. The drive will last until Nov. 12.