Come to a Surry County public library this Thursday with canned goods and non-perishable items in hand and all dues will be forgiven.

“We did this last year and it was a huge success,” said Sandy Phillips, children’s librarian at the Charles H. Stone Memorial Public Library in Pilot Mountain.

The 13 libraries in the Northwestern Regional Library are holding their third Amnesty Day Thursday. On this day, patrons with overdue fines or fees can have their record cleared in exchange for donating canned goods and other non-perishable items including toothbrushes, soap, deodorant and others.

“Realizing that each support agency faces quite a challenge in supplying the basic needs of many who have fallen upon hard times, the library system sees an opportunity to do our part by offering this incentive,” said Pat Gwyn, librarian with the Mount Airy Public Library.

Each library gets to choose a local organization to which to donate the food items. Items donated to the Mount Airy Public Library will be delivered to Yokefellow Cooperative Ministries. Charles H. Stone Memorial Public Library will probably give its items to Pilot Mountain Outreach, and Dobson will give its items to Foothills Food Pantry.

“These people are still needing stuff,” said Linda Hamlin, branch librarian in Dobson.

Patrons in good standing with the library system are also encouraged to bring canned goods and non-perishables to their library.

“We want as many people to take advantage of this as possible,” said Phillips.

The Mount Airy Public Library is open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday and can be contacted at 789-5108. Charles H. Stone Memorial Public Library is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and can be reached at 368-2370. Dobson Community Library, phone number 386-8208, is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday.