It’s National Library Week, and the Clarion Free Library is prepared to celebrate.  This week, the Clarion Free Library will feature free give-a-ways to the public, Fine Forgiveness Wednesday and the library will be organizing their annual phone-a-thon with in hopes to help gain support.

            “During Nation Library Week we will be calling our patrons and our usual donors,” said Matt McClelland, director of the library.  “Every year we do one which is very successful.  We basically just encourage the community to support their local library... The phone-a-thon definitely keeps the doors open because with state funding cuts it’s gotten tighter and tighter each year.”

            McClelland said that each year during this time, the library receives close to $10,000 in donations.  The donations they receive help buy materials and books for the library also it aids in the pay for the people who work there.

            The Clarion Free Library is collaborating with other local libraries to promote Fine Forgiveness Wednesday.  If some one has an over due book that’s one day late or a couple years late, they can return their rented books free of charge.

            “One patron that I know that owes [about] $258 in lost books from I think 2009,” said McClelland commenting on who has the greatest cost in over due materials.

            Today, you can do more than just rent books.  Last February, the Clarion Free Library has made it possible to rent out the Amazon Kindles.  So far it has been a popular success, said McClelland. The library also offers computer labs, magazines, DVDs, newspapers and free Wi-Fi.

            If you would like the chance to donate or perhaps checkout a new book, stop into the Clarion Free Library and see what it has to offer you.