The Friends of the Exeter Community Library, a volunteer nonprofit association, has received an eviction notice from the township for the basement space of the Dunn Community Center. The group is now looking for a new place to call home.
The Friends use the dedicated space as a book processing center, while also storing books and hosting events throughout the year. It’s become a place where local residents can donate books and where teachers and families can find discount books. All proceeds generated by the group benefit the Exeter Community Library.
“We got a notice that we had to evict the building by the end of the year,” said Charlene Zawaski, president of the Friends. “We’re in a scramble now to find a new place or fight [the township] to stay here – which we don’t want to do because they support the library financially.”
The Dunn Community Center at 4565 Prestwick Drive, formerly the Dunn Family Farm, was dedicated to Exeter Township in June 1999.
“This was the original library at one time,” said Zawaski, explaining how the library began using the lower level of the Dunn Center in 1999. “We were jammed in here. It was quite crowded but it was a real happy little place, because people just loved coming here.
The Friends took over the space around 2006 when Exeter Community Library opened its new facility just up the hill from the Dunn Community Center. Since then, the lower level has been used to host fundraising events, year-round book collecting and sorting, and monthly board meetings.
“We just kind of grew into this. These are all donations from the residents,” she said, motioning to the shelves stocked full of books. “What we can’t use here, we’ll store than for our June yard sale. We do quite well. In a year’s time we can make $9,000. There are quite a lot of books moving out of here.”
She couldn’t give an exact number count of books, but estimates thousands. Every Monday, about 10 volunteers work to sort through donated items – books, movies, CDs, audio books, and puzzles.
“Everything the Friends makes goes to the library.”
The funding supports the adult and child programs, in addition to other non-budget library needs.
“They get a lot of outside people in, it’s a very active library and we like to support them as much as we can,” said Zawaski. “That’s what we’re here for – to make money for the library.”
There are more than 200 members of the Friends. Right now, the group is trying to get the word out to public that they’re looking for a new home.
The location needs to be at least 1,000 square feet, access to enter at any time, ADA approved, trash and recycling on site, bathrooms, parking, heat and air conditioning. The lower level at the Dunn Community Center met all of these needs and the groups home to just a place just like it within the township.
“Not only do we have to find a new place, if we don’t find a new place by the time we have to leave, we’re going to have to store these somewhere. And we have all these bookcases.”
Zawaski noted the costs associated with renting storage space, and noted how gracious the township has been to them all these years for not charging rent.
Through fundraisers and membership fees, she said the group provides the library with around $20,000 to support programming and other needs. One of the fundraisers mentioned is the annual book and bake sale, run by all volunteers.
“People buy some books and buy a cupcake, and go home and enjoy.” Zawaski says they try to get as many books out into the community as they can. Crime fiction is one of their biggest sellers. “The nice thing is, people read them and bring them back and that’s a gift to everybody. We’re trying to move on, trying to make the best of it. We just need a new home.”
The 4th Annual Friends Bazaar is slated for Saturday, Nov. 4, from 9-2 p.m. at the Exeter Community Library.
