My Interview with Waynesboro Public Library: Exchanging Food for Fines

Photo by Flickr user stevendepolo

Waynesboro Public Library in Waynesboro, VA,  is getting in the holiday spirit by offering to waive overdue library fines if patrons bring in cans and nonperishable foods for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. One nonperishable food item is worth $2 in fines – an exchange that the library’s publicity coordinator, Marta Grove, says is a help to patrons as well. The Waynesboro Public Library serves a population of about 20,000 people and has an estimated 150,000 items available for patrons to borrow. Here’s what Marta Grove had to say about the "Food for Fines" program:


How long has the Waynesboro Public Library been doing "Food for Fines?"

It’s been going on at least 10 years. The food drive is a huge help to both the patrons and the people that get the food. Patrons are always asking, when are you doing food for fines?  It’s a good way for people to pay for fines without having to dish out the money, and help people at the same time.

the future journalist

from sree sreenivasen on mashable

The Future Journalist Is…

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We identified specific digitally-oriented skills and traits a future journalist would need. These include being:

• a multimedia storyteller: using the right digital skills and tools for the right story at the right time.

• a community builder: facilitating conversation among various audiences, being a community manager.

• a trusted pointer: finding and sharing great content, within a beat(s) or topic area(s); being trusted by others to filter out the noise.

• a blogger and curator: has a personal voice, is curator of quality web content and participant in the link economy.

• able to work collaboratively: knowing how to harness the work of a range of people around him/her — colleagues in the newsroom; experts in the field; trusted citizen journalists; segments of the audience, and more.

What's at Stake with the Super Committee? Everything.

[This blog post appeared on the Bread Blog Nov. 17, 2011.]

On June 14, during Bread for the World's National Gathering 2011, lobby day participants met with Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA-31), a member of the congressional Super Committee. They urged the Congressman to provide a circle of protection around programs that affect low-income people in the U.S. and overseas during talks about budget cuts. From left to right are Rev. William Epps, Congressman Becerra, Walter Contreras and Bread staffer Ricardo Moreno. Photo credit: Jim Stipe.

Just as a household budget can become a complicated process of negotiating family members’ needs, wants, and priorities, the federal budget process in Washington, DC, can be taxing, with everyone vying for their piece of the pie.

Last August, President Obama and congressional leaders approved the Budget Control Act, which raised the debt ceiling but also mandated reducing the deficit by at least $2.1 trillion over 10 years. The bill was created to prevent the United States from defaulting on its debt, which would have had disastrous economic consequences. Now it’s up to theJoint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (or Super Committee)—a group of 12 members, three from each party in each house—to create a proposal that will cut trillions from the deficit.

Study Finds 46 Percent of Americans Say Church Lacks Moral Leadership on Economy

[This blog post appeared on the Bread Blog Nov. 18, 2011.]

The Library of Congress

With the Occupy Wall Street protests roiling in key cities throughout the United States, it's clear that many Americans are experiencing severe unrest. A recent study conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute in Washington, DC, examines the similarities and differences among Americans with opinions on the Tea Party, Occupy Wall Street, the economy, and the federal budget. As you read through the study, it's clear that Americans are growing increasingly disenchanted with the notion of an American Dream, the government, and -- in many cases -- the church.

The study finds that 79 percent of Americans from a broad diversity of political, religious, and economic backgrounds agree that the gap between the rich and the poor has gotten larger. Interestingly,  Americans are divided over the impact of income inequality – 56 percent of Republicans believe the American Dream is still achievable to people who work hard, while only 36 percent of Democrats believe the American Dream is still achievable.