The Village Library at 207 N. Walnut Street in Morgantown was teeming Saturday May 16 as a beautiful spring day brought out a steady stream of book lovers browsing and picking out their favorites and popping them into big thirsty brown shopping bags at the semi-annual bag sale from 9 a.m. to noon on the final day of the three day sale open to the public.
The parking lot was full and even the lobby of the building was offering up video tapes, cd’s and talking books.
Jeanette Miller, volunteer cashier, greeted the people, “Buy a large brown bag for $5 or a huge brown bag for $7 and fill it with all the books you can fit into it. It has been a bountiful year, with lots and lots of donations. We have been working for weeks sorting and organizing. The Twin Valley High School Service Club sent students to help set up and tear down the event.”
Known as ‘the hardest worker of all’ she motioned to her husband Lyn Miller, President of the Friends of the Library, who was busy helping to carry out bags and boxes of books for the buyers who were gobbling up arm loads of fiction, non-fiction, ranging from romance novels, to classics, self-help, religious, historical and mysteries, to name a few.
“Books are still important to the world as opposed to all the electronic stuff. We are really trying to circulate books and encourage reading, Children’s books were a big hit as usual. We only take books in good condition, no older than 15 years, and no textbooks” he said.
Josh Quaintance, age 10 from Morganton, was dragging his huge bag collecting all the military books he could find, “For me, and presents for my cousin, my brother and Pop. Boy, these are really, really big books.”
Front and center at the long table were Carol Donahue and her children: Jacob, 12, Sophia, 11, and Tabitha, 8. They are homeschooled and active volunteers for the library. They made 100 paper book markers, 60 headband book markers and Jacob made 22 Stress balls he calls “squeezeems” (which quickly sold out), a nice profit maker for the library.
At the end of the table Rachael Biltz, a volunteer, was selling a variety of homemade baked goods all donated by friends of the library.
Village Library Board of Directors President Mary Ellen Mahan was holding up tomato plants.
“Out of an original 48 locally donated Heritage Tomato Plants we only have five left. Don’t be surprised when chocolate colored and zebra striped tomatoes start growing in your garden. Save the seeds to repot these delicious and hardy tomatoes for next year,” she grinned, “I have lost a lot of weight eating these tomatoes.”
They sold immediately.Tucked underneath a table sitting on a box was 2-year-old Giana Oliva reading a large picture book for kids. Her mother Amanda nearby cradling her 3-month-old baby Camila in a baby carrier was helping her son, 8-year-old Collin, pick out books.
Millions of words for sale, a community of all ages to buy.
This is the library’s largest fund raising effort. Mahan said, “We are always looking for volunteers and board members.” Contact callmemem@smail.com for more information about the board. “We will definitely find something for you to do!” Call 610-286-1022 or visit www.villagelibrary.org.