The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
BOOKING ON IT
Volunteers raise support for Morley Library at book sale
Members of the Friends of Morley Library and their loved ones browsed narrow aisles packed with a broad collection of books, TV shows and other media during the group’s Feb. 3 members-only book sale in Painesville.
Visitors ranging from children to seniors attended the group’s bookshop for the sale. Friends volunteers stood by to hand them Valentine’s Day cookies and help them renew their group membership.
“This one is mostly as appreciation to our members, to get members to renew,” said Friends President Dan Lee.
“The variety of books is spectacular, and the prices are so reasonable, it’s a shame that everybody’s not here getting some great bargains,” added Friends member Bob Gambol.
Book genres range from fantasy and sports to poetry, classics and reference books. Lee added that the store also includes a children’s book section, DVDs, CDs and puzzles.
Shop co-chair Patty Degli said that the collection comes from books that were donated by the library or by patrons.
The Friends place donated books in a “staging area” next to the shop, Lee said. Volunteers organize, clean and price items. They may throw away books that are old or tattered or donate items that they do not need to other organizations.
He added that the shop is run by a group of around 22 volunteers.
“I think most of everybody is retired, so it’s a volunteer thing,” Lee said. “And the education and community service, the camaraderie of being active when you’re retired, I mean, I think a lot of those are the reasons people volunteer and come down here.”
“And everyone likes books,” he added. “I would say that’s probably a good common denominator.”
Lee said that the group is a nonprofit. It uses the funds that it raises to support library programs like the summer reading program.
“Probably in the next two, three months, you’ll see some announcements on the special projects for this year, but right now, I don’t have anything other than the normal funding that we do for these existing programs that the library has,” Lee said.
The group charges $5 for an individual membership, $10 for a family membership and $100 for a lifetime membership. Lee said that people
can sign up at the book shop or the library’s front desk.
Members will also be signed up for the group’s email updates, he said. The group sends out around two newsletters each year.
The group’s webpage added that it also holds meetings at the library every two months.
Non-members will be able to attend the group’s remaining book sales this year, on
June 8, Aug. 24 and Dec. 7. The December event will be a holiday sale, and Lee said that it is usually the group’s “big sale.”
The book sales will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The bookshop is located in the library’s lower level.
“I’ve been to several, and it’s always a good adventure and it takes me all year to read all the books that I’ve purchased,” Gambol said.
The bookshop is also open on Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 3-6 p.m., though it will be closed in the coming year from July 14-29 and Dec. 22 through Jan. 6. The group also sells books in the library’s lobby.
“We’ve seemed to figure this out and got something here that seems to work best, and we get fairly good attendance on Tuesdays and
Thursdays with people coming through and that,” Lee said. “Plus, the lobby seems to do well, too.”
Potential shoppers can visit Morley Library at 184 Phelps St., Painesville. More information about the Friends of Morley Library can be found by visiting morleylibrary.org, selecting “About Us” in the menu and then selecting “Friends of Morley Library.”