The Friends of Richards Memorial Library were given the opportunity to store collected items, set up, and hold the annual September Book Sale, with the added benefit of a Winter Book Sale at the Allen Avenue School in 2019, two years ago, starting in April of that year. Thanks to the Town of North Attleborough for having given us this wonderful opportunity. Due to the existing state of emergency of the pandemic, they were unable to have the sale last year and were already planning the next one for October.
Unfortunately, it was recently learned that the location will no longer be available for use and the Friends will not be able to hold the sale in October, due to the need for building repair. They are looking into alternate locations, for both the storage of items and holding the Book Sale.
In the past, they started collecting items in April, sorting and placing them into banana boxes at the LeStage property, (again, thanks to the town) and the shelving stored in the basement of the library. This meant the week before the sale, multiple volunteers were needed to transport the shelving and boxes of books and set up wherever they were given space. The last location used for several years was the meeting room at the Town Water Department (again, thanks to the town and Water Department manager). This space would need to be cleared of existing chairs, tables, etc. before the set up. Then the banana boxes would be transported to the location and books placed upon the shelves. Due to the presorting, this generally would go fairly quickly, but still requires a lot of people, which are sometimes hard to find.
After the sale, all of the books and various items would be donated to a local book recycler, who would show up with bins. Volunteers would dump the books into them, which was always difficult for those who just spent the better part of a year collecting for the sale. The shelving is then taken down and returned to the Library, and the room cleaned and reset up to its previous arrangement. Then, around April, the whole process starts over again.
Having had the school for the last two years enabled the group to gather more items for the sale, and they were going to start sorting the items collected over the last few months—a wide variety of books, DVDs, CDs, etc.
During a normal year, the Book Sale enables the Friends of the Library to provide free programs for both Adult and Children, discounted museum passes, computer access with free Wi-Fi, and so on. Due to the restrictions of the last year and what looks to be the foreseeable future, the need to be prepared to be up and running again is paramount to help the library return to its usual programs and fun times.
Again, thanks to the town for allowing use of the school. The Friends of Richards Memorial Library appreciate the support. If anyone has the ability to provide a fairly large secure location, access to parking and are willing to allow the Friends to use it, thanks in advance. Remember, it’s a tax write-off as well, and insurance-wise, cheaper to insure an occupied building. Contact friendsofrml118@gmail.com for more information.
