St. Ignace librarian Cindy Patten (left) received about $52,000 from penal fines issued by county courts for the St. Ignace Public Library from Mackinac County Treasurer Nora Massey Wednesday, July 30. Her office receives the funds and files reports with the state. The check is issued annually. A check totaling about $52,000 was given to St. Ignace librarian Cindy Patten Wednesday, July 30, by Mackinac County Treasurer Nora Massey. The money represents about 70% of the library's annual operating funds and comes from penal fines issued by the county's District and Circuit courts.

A large part of the money comes from overweight truck fines, with speeding tickets and other fines included. Since 1837, penal fines have been distributed to Michigan libraries.

Over the last five years, the library has been awarded about $292,000.

The money is received by the treasurer's office, which issues monthly reports to the state.

This year's funding represents about $7,300 less than in 2007. The amount is about $38,000 less than 2001, when the largest check was issued to support the city's library operations, of about $90,200.

The reduction in funding this year, said Ms. Patten, will mean fewer books, movies, and sup- plies will be purchased over the coming months.

In 2007, in anticipation of falling revenues, the library board established an endowment fund with the St. Ignace Area Community Foundation.

In October, the library will have a St. Ignace picture book for sale, with proceeds going to support the library.