Ever wondered what happens to our unsold books at the end of our quarterly booksales? Or when we have an overflow of books awaiting a sale? Turns out many things. Our goal to make sure your donated books end up benefitting the community in any way possible. Of course selling them at the book sales is a direct benefit to the library. But what happens when the sale ends and the last Saturday’s and Sunday’s Bag Days’ bargains have cleared out most of the books? Or when we are blessed with more books than we can store before a sale?
We are fortunate to have worthy organizations who come to the library during breakdown on the Monday after the sale or when we have more books than we can store. They are able to take the books and distribute them throughout the community.
For instance, we received this wonderful message from Rosanna Mairena,  Giving4Kids. She is reporting after picking up books and with her son, Sergio delivering them to COPE and other organizations in Napa.

“I wanted to say THANK YOU again for letting us take the extra children’s book at the end of your wonderful events.
We sort them and distribute them:

– the like “new” awesome treasures to COPE Family Center to use as raffle prizes and giveaways at family events,
– the bilingual books and books for 0-5 also go into the free book wagon that is at the COPE service window – when families come in search of services or emergency need supplies, they pick free books to take with them as well,
– we distribute them to little libraries around town – the Rainbow library gets the diversity/feelings/inclusive/feel good books for example. Schools like his previous elementary school Pueblo Vista that has a little library gets bilingual books for older audiences,
– friends take some for their children or classrooms,
– all the awesome PJ Library books get donated to Beth Shalom for their congregation to share.
Just a few ways we pass on the love of reading!
Thanks!
Rosanna”
If you have an organization that can use children’s books or books for adults please contact our Book Sale Manager.

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Fun in the Sun

On Tuesday, July 19 from 10am – 2pm we will be participating in Library Literacy Summer DAZE sponsored by the Library’s Literacy team. The Library Literacy Program will be distributing free backbacks loaded with school supplies. And what else are backpacks used for? Why books, of course! Friends of the Library volunteers will be on hand to distribute free books. Join us for some Fun in the Sun!

Summer Reading Adventure

On Tuesday, July 26 from 10am – 3pm the Children’s Library will hold the final event of the Summer Reading Program. Young readers will exchange their reading logs, proof of the books they have read over the summer, for prizes. The Friends of the Library will particiate by handing out free books to all participants.

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Recently, we received a donation that included a recent set of encyclopedias in very good condition. If you are not familiar with our donation policies, we don’t normally accept sets of encyclopedias because they are not very sellable. In this case, we knew we needed to get this set to an organization that could use them.

We were fortunate enough to find the Sunrise Montessori School and the Sequoia Class who were more than glad to receive the donation. Once we delivered the books, we went back to sorting, cleaning and boxing more books for the next sale.

Imagine our delight when a mail delivery brought us this Thank You Card from the school.  The card is a one-of-a-kind creation and certainly shows the students’ thanks for the books.  The message on the front says “Thanks for the good book,  Bruce!”  Bruce being Bruce Taylor, our incomparable Book Sale Manager.  We couldn’t wait to open the card to see what was inside.

 

Here is what we found! A carefully researched and written thank you by one of the students, Gioia, who we understand is in the 5th grade.  The text of the card reads:

“Thank you so much for the encyclopedias!
Just so you know I didn’t know how to spell encyclopedia until I looked inside an encyclopedia you gave our class.
It was outstandingly kind hearted of you! And I have seen at least 8 (and counting)people use one of the encyclopedias donated to help them spell a word, find a definition, or learn something they didn’t know before.  Hopefully this thank you letter has given you at least a small insight on how grateful we are for the generously gifted encyclopedias! And in case you didn’t see it before…
THANK YOU!
Fondly, the Sequoia class!
Written by Gioia”

And here are the signatures of the grateful students of the Sequoia Class.

We can’t think of a more perfect illustration why many, many of us spend many, many hours a week receiving and sorting donations; cleaning and repairing them; stocking the sale area in the lobby of the Napa County Library; boxing and storing books for the sales; and, setting up and working the sales.

IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE!

Our first book sale of 2022 is in the books (pun intended) and it was a rousing success. We owe these01.4 results to the continued support from the public who donate every book, CD and DVD we sell; our loyal patrons and members of the Friends of the Napa Library who shop, some every day of the sale;  our incredible, hard working volunteers who not only staff the sales but sort, clean and box every donated  item; and our Book Sale Manager, Bruce Taylor whose vast knowledge of books brings it all together.

Do you know that we also sell books though the honors system in the lobby of the Napa County Library? Many of you must know because we also fvexperienced record sales in the first quarter. We restock every day so come by and check it out. In addition to cash, we also have QR’s posted for Venmo and PayPal.

Occasionally we receive through a donation a valuable book. In order to maximize donation, a very gracious member of the Friends lists the books on Ebay and facilitates the sale. If you are interseted in seeing our current offerings click on the link at the bottom right of this page.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS FIRST QUARTER OF 2022 A SUCCESS!

* in recent memory

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