Sarasota's 5 Things To Know: Turn In Your Late Library Books Without Fines

1. Starting Monday, you can turn in that late library book without paying a fine as part of Amnesty Week for Sarasota County Libraries.

Items must be returned in person to the circulation desk in order for the transaction to be completed and recorded. Fines will not be waived for items returned in book drops or by mail. 

"The primary goal of amnesty week is to encourage library patrons to return their materials and to return to using library resources," said Libraries Public Services Manager Andrea Ginsky. 

Three keys for amnesty are:

• Visit the Circulation Desk to have overdue fines waived for previously returned items.

• Bring outstanding items to the Circulation Desk; related fines will be waived.

• Fees charged by the materials recovery agency will not be waived.

"We hope that many patrons will take advantage of this opportunity," Ginsky added. "It can be a win-win outcome, by welcoming back former library patrons, and returning outstanding items to the shelves, so that others may have access to them."

2. Welcome a new business to Sarasota. Circumference Valuations, a business which specializes in determining fair market value for professional practices, opened recently at 677 N. Washington in Sarasota. The company focuses on lower middle market businesses with annual sales between $50,000 and $15 million.  Business hours are Monday - Friday  9 a.m. – 5 p.m. by appointment.  For more information about Circumference Valuations call toll free 1-877-988-0911 or visit www.CircumferenceValuations.com.

3. You might see a long funeral procession roll by today in eastern Sarasota for , who had lost her battle with breast cancer on May 5. A noon church service will be held at , 8000 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, followed by a procession to Palms Memorial Park Gardens, 5116 Fruitville Road.   The funeral procession route from the church will be west to Cattlemen Road, north on Cattlemen Road to Bahia Vista Street, west to McIntosh Road, north to Fruitville Road and east to Palms Memorial Park Gardens.  

4. Does your pooch need a place to socialize? Sarasota's Park, Recreation and Environmental Protection Board will hear a request to establish a Paw Park in Gillespie Park at the board's Thursday, May 17 meeting, 3:30 p.m. at Check out the background info about the request on the city's website.

5. The third annual Harvey Milk Festival continues tonight and Saturday. Five Points Park and other venues throughout the city.

On Friday,  will host the Silent T art festival — a pop-up exhibition whose theme addresses what it means to be transgender and aims to erase the stigma surrounding gender non-conformity.

Twenty-five percent of proceeds from the art sale supports the festival. The gallery opening, which runs from 5 to 11 p.m., will also feature a live performance by Sons of Hippies. The gallery will re-open at 4 p.m. on Saturday.