Public library bookstore waits to turn the next page
TEXARKANA, Texas — Like many shops, the Friends of the Texarkana Public Library Bookstore must manage in the age of a coronavirus pandemic, and so far the popular bookstore will wait to reopen.
For now, the 320 W. Broad St. shop is taking a waitand-see approach after shutting its doors in March, but the volunteers do miss their customers, says the
FOL president.
“The FOL Board of Directors is understandably concerned about the health and safety of our customers and our volunteer workers in the light of the alarming rise of diagnosed COVID19 cases in our area,” said Shelley Lewis, board president. “Until the situation improves, we will remain closed.”
Lewis said with a turn-of-thecentury building without air conditioning in the Texas summertime and other factors, such as the mask mandate and social distancing measures, conditions make for an uncomfortable situation in the bookstore.
The store sells fiction, nonfiction, mysteries, religion, history and more with its selection of books, including hardback, paperback, books on tape and DVDs.
When the conditions are favorable for reopening, the bookstore will alert customers at the library website and in the Accent section of the Gazette, the board president said.
“Hopefully, that will be in the nottoo-distant future,” Lewis said.
While the FOL bookstore volunteers have all sorts of backgrounds, including college students, a large majority are retired people who are donating their time, the board president said. Bookstore customers are ready to see them again.
“Some of our loyal patrons have been inquiring at the library when we will be reopening,” Lewis said. “We have a large number of book readers in Texarkana.”
The bookstore helps support the library. Lewis said an annual fundraising sale was held as far back as the mid-1980s. It was located in Central Mall, then moved to a public library meeting room. After it outgrew that space, the vintage building at Spruce and Broad streets was adopted for the annual sale.
“By popular demand, it became a twice-yearly sale, then once a month and now twice a month yearround. So we have grown continuously over the years,” Lewis said “All proceeds from the bookstore go to fund new acquisitions and provide programs for the library.”
Many shoppers visit the Texasside bookstore each time it opens.
“We feel it is a wonderful asset to our community,” Lewis said.
(For more information, visit the Friends of the Texarkana Public Library page on Facebook.)