Download I Love Libraries Web badges for your site.

What is information literacy? Learn the answer to that and more on I Love Libraries' Ask the Librarian page.

Small Change Makes a Big Difference

From the Buffalo News, Niagara Edition, February 19, 2008.

By Paul Westmoore

If Barker residents are fond of their pennies, they had best lock them away and guard them carefully.

Otherwise, a Pratt Elementary School pupil could very well snatch them up and deliver them to Barker Free Library, which is a bit squeezed for cash these days.

When school started in September, Pratt pupils got together with their teachers and decided to collect as many pennies as they could during the school year to assist the library.

Consequently, pennies are being snapped up by Pratt's pre-kindergarten through fourth-grade pupils every day of every week.

As of last week, the youngsters had collected more than $640 in coins, according to Paula J. Curry, the library's treasurer.

"We needed financial help, and the kids decided to do this," Curry said. "Their goal is to collect $1,000 by the end of the year. At the rate they're going, I think they might exceed that.

Barker Free Library

"The pre-kindergarten kids are especially interested in this. They're always asking mom and dad if they've got any pennies. They bring them to school and put them in a special jar. Every classroom has one. Some of the kids are doing extra chores at home or are using some of their allowance to help out. Believe me, their efforts are greatly appreciated."

With a $44,661 operating budget this year, Library Director Lisa J. Thompson said Pratt pupils have become one of the library's greatest benefactors.

The library got a 3 percent increase in its budget this year from Niagara County, Thompson said, but it wasn't easy.

"We have to battle for every penny we get," she said, "so we're being careful and doing everything we can to keep our doors open. We're still anticipating a $2,000 deficit. I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but for us it's huge."

The effort by Pratt pupils is greatly appreciated because the cost of things like electricity and heating fuel are constantly going up, and the library board can never be sure if what they have in the budget will be enough to cover expenses, Thompson said.

"I am so impressed with those kids," she said. "I had one little person tell me that he took the money out of his mom's purse. I told him, 'Oh goodness! Don't do that.' This one little peanut said he's doing chores at home to earn money for the library."

A number of second-graders talked about the project last week and told of the unusual places they've found pennies for the library.

"I found a couple pennies in our couch," said Sara Mason, 7.

Joey Baronich, 8, said, "I found some in my basement in a little bowl thing. I asked my mom if I could take them, and she said yes."

Andrew Jenks, 7, said, "I found one in my underwear drawer."

Andrew Leising, 7, one-upped Andrew, saying, "I found a penny in my mom's underwear drawer. Tim Payne, 7, said he found one "in my dad's underwear drawer."

Seven-year-old Samantha Lawson said, "I found one in my brother's dresser," while 8-year-old Austin Sullivan said he found a penny "on the floor in my father's bedroom."

Isabella Young, 8, found a penny "behind my bookshelf," and Haylee Muzzillo, 7, "found one in my dad's pocket, but he said it was OK to take it." Sara Gendrue, 7, found a penny in her family's laundry room, and Jessica Demer, 7, found a penny "in my brother's shoe." Victoria Wagner, 7, found a penny "in my brother's pillow."

Other pupils talked about moving furniture to find coins.

Whatever the tally, Thompson said it will help keep Barker Free Library open 37 hours a week.

She said the library is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays; and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

"We can stay open as long as we are extremely careful," Thompson said, "and have friends like the children at Pratt Elementary."

She added that the library accepts donations from grown-ups, too.