After a successful annual book sale during the 2017 Fisherman’s Picnic, Library Friends of Cook County is in need of a new storage and sorting facility. They are grateful to the city for providing storage over the years in the former jail cell, but now it’s time to plan a “release” from jail. The city needs the building for other matters, and the Friends need ideas and plans for future fundraising, so they can continue to support county libraries.
Duane Hasegawa, board of directors, says, “Library Friends needs the help of its membership to find a future and sorting site for the books that our community generously donates to us throughout the year. Our annual sale of these used donated books is a source of very affordable reading material appropriate for adults and children of all ages. Many of the books are not in circulation at our school or public libraries. Without a used book sale the community would lose an opportunity to access thousands of reading material sources.”
The Library Friends book sale is a well-loved tradition, anticipated by locals and visitors each year. This year the sale raised over $10,000 to support Cook County libraries. By holding to such a tradition, the Friends are able to help county schools, from Birch Grove to Grand Portage, with books and monetary donations. Friends help the Grand Marais Public Library with funds that support special programs, speakers, additional physical space needs, and with keeping the steady flow of book donations moving through the system.
Steve Harsin, director, Grand Marais Public Library, says, “Library Friends makes a tremendous contribution to the entire Cook County community. It’s well established they raise money through their annual bulk sale and other means to support all libraries in the county. As important, the Friends provide a valuable service to the community as a place to retire used books, and to recycle those books through many outlets, including in library sales, little free libraries, books for kids, the annual book sale, and in some cases, literal recycling.
“These volunteers log countless hours sorting, selecting, and conducting the disposition of materials in a variety of formats. Just in the Grand Marais Public Library there are numerous events, activities, new material purchases, equipment purchases and more that are made via the help of Library Friends. Their organization does valuable work for all of us. I’m very proud to be able to work with them to continue in their role as an asset to all of us in Grand Marais and Cook County,” said Harsin.
This year there were over 400 egg boxes full of donated books; 300 boxes of books left the sale in happy new owners’ hands. Each box represented about $40 of support to the county’s libraries. One hundred boxes were taken to our community recycle center. All of this takes space to accomplish, and within a year, the space Library Friends has been using will no longer be available. If a suitable place cannot be located, a traditional, major fundraising event will not be taking place at Fisherman’s Picnic.
Library Friends needs your help in locating a warm, dry, lit storage and sorting area (about 500 cubic feet). Also needed are helpers at fundraising events, help sorting books, identifying alternative fundraising activities, serving on the board of directors and help with finding direct, ongoing financial support.
“The annual membership meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at the Grand Marais Public Library,” said Friends chairman Mary Beams. “Your attendance will be welcome; your ideas will be appreciated; our support will be received with gratitude and distributed for the improvement of our community. Please join us!”
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