The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Used books find new life through library program
Branch changing focus of monthly event
Lorain Public Library System North Ridgeville Branch hosted an adult craft event Aug. 20 that featured decorative items made out of used books.
“The event is the Upcycle Book Craft, and it’s geared toward fashioning something out of recycled books,” said Jennifer Winkler, manager of the North Ridgeville Branch. “The goal today is a decorative flower ball that can be put in your home.
“It is made using a Styrofoam ball and pinning about 200 little flowershaped pieces of paper from our recycled books.”
Winkler said the event takes place the third Tuesday of the month. Shaye Komitau, left, and Barb Linton, both North Ridgeville residents, work on flower balls made with recycled books Aug. 20 at the Lorain Public Library System North Ridgeville Branch.
“We look for different items that can be crafted from book pages and help guide folks through a stepby-step
process,” she said. “We take books that have pages missing or have parts that are torn off.
“We basically use the books that we can no longer use at the library and ones we couldn’t sell at a book sale.”
Winkler said the event is going to be rebranded to add more activities.
“We will be calling the event Crafternoon from here on out,” she said. “We have been doing the Upcycle Book Craft for about two years here, and we thought we would add more to it.
“We wanted to expand to other activities. We will still have days where we use recycled books, but we will also have a jewelry-making day coming as well an LED light-up card and sand art. The goal is to simply try different things.”
Barb Linton of North Ridgeville said the North Ridgeville Branch is the best library around.
“They have everything,” Linton said. “The programming is great; I love coming to this event and when they have their book club meetings.”
Shaye Komitau of North Ridgeville said the crafts are what draw her in.
“They have a good variety of engaging activities,” Komitau said. “I also get all my movies here.
“They have a great selection of movies available; you couldn’t ask for a better library.”