Food for Fines is back Nov. 4-13

The Pioneer Library System’s annual Food for Fines initiative returns Nov. 4-13, with hometown libraries accepting donations of food items from customers as a way to relieve library fines.

Customers may bring one can, box or bag of non-expired, non-perishable, unopened and undamaged food which may be exchanged for $1 credit each on fines, up to a maximum waiver of $20 off an account.

However, donations do not count toward lost item charges or fees associated with debt collection.

Since the inception of Food for Fines in 2005, the Pioneer Library System has donated more than 33 tons of food and goods to local organizations to benefit families. Last year, more than 8,000 pounds was donated.

Benefactors for this year’s donations will be:

Blanchard - Blanchard Lions Club

McLoud - Emmaus Indian Baptist Church

Moore - Brand Senior Center, Moore Food and Resource Center

Newcastle - Veterans Corner

Noble - First State Bank, First Baptist Church, Maguire Farm Store

Norman Central - Salvation Army of Norman Food Pantry

Norman West - Salvation Army of Norman Food Pantry

Purcell - McClain County Operation Christmas

Shawnee - The Salvation Army

Southwest OKC - Moore Public Schools Food Pantry, Moore Food and Resource Center

Tecumseh - Highland Church of Christ

Pottawatomie County program earns OPHA state honor

Already helping put books in the hands of youngsters in Pottawatomie County, the Pioneer Library System’s partnership with the Pottawatomie County Health Department and the Avedis Foundation now has gained a state honor. The Oklahoma Public Health Association has named the program as its Public Health Program of the Year.

The program has an emphasis on targeting low-income families, such as those with mothers involved in Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), who may be less likely to be able to provide books to their children.

A $6,000 donation from Avedis is supplying free books that are being given away to children when their families visit the Pottawatomie County Health Department for vaccinations, well-baby checks and other medical needs.

The initial rollout of books features about 1,000 total books and 140 different titles, with board books, paperbacks and hardbacks included. Books were selected by staff from the Pioneer Library System’s Readers Services department.

The award was presented by OPHA to McLoud Public Library Branch Manager Wanda Haynes, PLS Readers Services Manager Jenny Stenis and the Pottawatomie County Health Department's Jessi Ryel at a banquet Sept. 27 in Tulsa.

NaNoWriMo activities scheduled throughout October, November

The Pioneer Library System is giving would-be authors some help on their journey to complete a novel as part of National Novel Writing Month this fall.

Known more commonly by participants as NaNoWriMo, the event encourages writers and would-be authors in their writing journey by taking steps to produce a novel in a month. The goal is for authors to write 50,000 words during the month.

Multiple libraries will host Prep Class events to help authors on their journey to a novel in advance of the start of the actual month of writing in November.

The Prep Class schedule includes:

Southwest Oklahoma City Public Library – 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1

Norman Public Library Central – 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8 (featuring guest speaker Kim Ventrella, author of Skeleton Tree), and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22

Norman Public Library West – 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15

Then to get the month started, the SOKC library will present a Kickoff Party, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, followed by weekly Sunday afternoon “Write-In” events in hometown libraries throughout November. Those locations, times and dates are:

Southwest Oklahoma City Public Library – 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5

Norman Public Library Central – 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26

Norman Public Library West – 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19

Find out more by visiting any of the participating libraries or going online to the National Novel Writing Month website.