The Radford Public Library needs help. Sure, the news all looks good: large anonymous donations, city council support for moving along the library building addition, beloved staff members retiring and new people getting a chance to contribute. But there’s a dark secret hiding in one corner of the library.
Several months ago, one of the hardest working Lamplighters, a member of the library’s “friends of the library” group, accepted and transported a huge gift of donated books. The resulting mountain of boxes has lurked in the meeting room, waiting patiently for this weekend, when the scheduled quarterly Lamplighter book sale will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during all of the library’s regular hours (February 2, 3, and 4). Here’s why we need help: in those three short days, those books need to be sold. Even at bargain prices, it’ll be hard to unload this massive pile of books. Frankly, the library needs to get that room livable again for the GED classes, the bridge club, the investment club, Pathways, the book discussion groups, and everyone else who uses that room. It’s starting to look, and even smell, like someone’s attic or garage.
Where does the money go when the Lamplighters sell books at their quarterly book sales? Every dime goes to the library, most of it to support the Summer Reading Program activities and other special programs throughout the year. The Lamplighters are asking library users to join at the special rate of $20 this year, to help move their fundraising efforts to add on to the library to a successful conclusion. Membership forms are at the circulation desks and will be available at the book sale.
Pack up your boxes and bags and come to the library this weekend for some great deals on used books.