A not-so-small victory in the fight against local hunger.
Thanks to Arlington Public Library customers paying fines from Nov. 2 through 9, more than $1,000 will be donated to the Arlington Food Assistance Center. With the Friends of Arlington Public Library generously contributing 10 cents for each dollar paid off, the total take in fines was nearly twice that of a “usual” week. 
Staff at Central Library and the branches also report a hearty collection of non-perishables in the AFAC food bins placed throughout the system.
With the holidays approaching, the food and funds will no doubt provide a bit more happiness to those in need around Arlington.
Thank you for caring.
Hi,
I’ve been a big fan and admirer of the Arlington County library system — a “heavy user” in fact — but was saddened to see that the check-out desk at Central has been reduced to a row of self check-out stations.
I hope the machines at the library will not reduce the number of incredible librarians who work there; nor reduce the feeling of community that has been the hallmark of all public libraries.
While technology can help streamline work, there’s still nothing equal to connecting with another person.
Sincerely,
Puwen Lee
Hi Puwen,
Thanks for the kind words about the Library. No staff positions were affected by the redesign. And we have the same number of self-check machines at Central as before. The new look is just an effort to streamline the borrowing process and create more room on the first floor.
Thanks for asking.