Children sat cross-legged on the floor, slowly flipping through books from a pile they had placed at their side.
Adults take their time pouring over books carefully laid out on a large table.
They are all attending the Callander Public Library book sale where people could fill a bag with books for just $5.00.
A prolific reader, Michele Valiquette made the short drive from North Bay.
“I have been a book lover my whole life. This is my first time at the Callander Public Library, and it is adorable. I just love libraries. When my husband and I travel, I love to go to libraries. There is just something about them that I love,” shared Valiquette.
“My kids have bought me Kindles three times, and I return them, because I still like the feel of a book, the opening of a book. It is part of the whole aesthetic of reading to me, not just looking at a screen. So, I got some books today. I also have six grandchildren, so I’m always looking for books to read. I have a nice little library for them at home and today I will be adding a few to the library.”
The books were weeded out of the library collection.
Rather than box them up, it was decided that a book sale would be in order, with 100 per cent of the proceeds to benefit the volunteer group, Friends of the Callander Pubic Library, to purchase needed items for the library.
“They do things like sponsor summer programs. If we get Science North for the summer program for example, they pay for Science North. Recently they bought us covers for our iPads. So, any little extra’s that we don’t want to put in the budget, the group will pay for that,” said library CEO Helen McDonnell.
Lorraine Murdoch is a long-time volunteer with the group.
“This is the first sale we have had in March, and the response has been great. I think we’re going to do this every March. You meet a lot of people and get rid of a lot of excess books,” explained Murdoch who says the group finds different ways to raise money for the library.
“We do our annual pie sale in November, where we make more than 160 apple pies. There is over 25 people that show up. We do a book sale/yard sale that kind of stuff. The books that don’t sell, we send to the United Church in Powassan.”
The library hosts a sale twice a year, selling a variety of books for young adults, adults, children’s books.
“We always get a few new members when we do this,” said the library CEO.
“We are having another sale further into the spring with the horticultural society at the community centre. We will have all kinds of books, and we actually take donations of books for that sale. We’ll post for that ahead of time, but generally, it is at the beginning of June.”
The library is bursting at the seams.
Last fall it applied for a $6 million grant to help build a new facility on the waterfront, just north of the Chief Commanda, to serve as a community hub.
“The longer you wait, the more expensive it is. We applied for the Cultural Recreation Infrastructure grant back in November. We won’t hear from that for a while. They’re saying now it won’t be until the summer,” said McDonnell.
“If the grant comes through it will be a bonus for sure. It is to pave the parking lot, the outside lighting, the furniture, everything is included in that. Otherwise, the capital campaign we’re working on will have to work towards getting the total amount that we need.”
