Keith Strange/The News

Dobson Community Library is accepting cans of food in return for movie rentals. The library is working with Foothills Food Pantry to help collect food to feed the hungry in the community. Here, Branch Librarian Karen Roth looks over the food already collected.

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DOBSON — Visitors to the Dobson Community Library now have the opportunity to get a break on rentals and help out a local charity at the same time, Branch Librarian Karen Roth announced this week.

On July 1, the library began working with the Foothills Food Pantry to help collect food for the group, which helps feed needy families in the community.

Roth said the library is offering discounted rentals in return for canned food, and is even giving procrastinators a break on their late fees.

“Patrons can bring in cans of food to rent movies,” she said, noting that one can of food can get a visitor three movies and two cans earn six movies.

Normally, the library charges $1 for three movies and $2 for six.

“We also negotiate late fees for cans of food,” Roth added.

Patron response in the brief time the program has been in operation has been wonderful, according to the librarian.

“People are happy to help out the food pantry while enjoying their movies,” she said.

According to Roth, the library wanted to initiate a program that could help a local charity while simultaneously giving a break to county residents struggling during these rough economic times.

“Cans of food can often be found on sale at local stores at a reasonable price,” Roth noted.