The Friends of the Library Annual Spring Book Sale wrapped up on Sunday, April 28, 2024, setting a record as their best sale to date, with $209,016.30 in just six days. The sale was up 16% over the previous record set last Spring. Seventy-five percent of the items sold were collected from public donations.
Friends of the Library Sale Chair Bill Kastler said, “The cumulative total for FOL book sales since the first sale in 1985 is in excess of $5.3 million. It has reached the point where we don't even know what to say anymore. All of the superlatives have already been used.” The Friends of the Library’s first sale was in the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library parking lot.
Interim Library Executive Director Jim Schmidt said, “A huge thank you to the Friends of the Library for all their hard work and assistance to the library district. I believe our Friends group is the absolute best, without a doubt.”
Proceeds from the bi-annual sale fund special adult programs, the Summer Reading program, Wee-Read, which gives out books through the Parents as Teachers Program and many other library necessities. The Friends of the Library recently made a generous $200,000 gift to the Library Center auditorium construction project.
The public can donate used items at any of the 10 library branches during business hours. If you have any questions about donating, call 417-616-0564 or email friends@thelibrary.org. The next sale will be September 11-15, 2024, at the E*Plex at the Ozarks Empire Fairgrounds.
For further information about the Springfield-Greene County Library District, contact Community Relations Director Vickie Hicks, at 417-616-0654 or vickieh@thelibrary.org.