Appleseed

“Friends of the Library”
 Annual Half Price Sale

Friends Bookstore at the Southington Pubic Library is running its annual ‘Half Price’ book sale from Sep. 12^th thru 17^th.  This is a great opportunity to add choice books to your home, classroom or business library from a wide selection of popular Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction, War History, Art, Literature, Young Adult and Children’s books, CDs & DVDs.  Paperbacks, regularly priced at $.50, and hard cover books, priced at $1 & up, offer a genuinely good deal.

Friends Bookstore is located on the lower level of the Southington Public Library. Books are in excellent condition and shelved for easy-browsing. It’s The Place to go in Southington for quality used books of widely diverse interests.  Bookstore hours: Mon. and Thurs. 2 to 5 pm; Tue. 2 to 8:30 pm: Wed. 2-6 pm; Fri. 10 am to 4:30 pm and Sat. 10 am to 1 pm. 

Proceeds of the year-round operation of the Friends Bookstore are used to support the needs of Library programs above its operating budget, making it a great advantage to library members and to Bookstore regulars.  

Doris LaRese, president and Virginia Siton, vice-president
of Southington Friends of the Library

For an in-depth story with special insights about the Friends of the Library, (Friends), we interviewed Doris LaRese and Virginia Siton whose combined volunteer efforts total four decades of service. LaRese serves as president with Siton as vice president of the Friends’ executive board along with treasurer, Kaye Davis; assistant treasurer, Judy Krafick; and Secretary, Pat Kucinkas, who manage the business of the Friends Bookstore with a host of other volunteers ready to help in its many tasks.  Traditional friends of the library have been volunteering since 1988, according to LaRese. Friends was legally incorporated as a 501c(3) non-profit enterprise in September 1996 with the stated purpose of “promoting interest in the Southington Public Library as a cultural and educational asset to the Town of Southington, to stimulate the use of the library's facilities for the community, and to support the Freedom to Read as expressed in the American Library Association Bill of Rights."  

LaRese and Siton noted that the Friends 2016-2017 Fiscal Year Budget, allocated $25,000 to help fund a variety of library programs, e.g., funds to buy books to support the Southington Reads program and the honorarium paid to the presenting author. Southington Reads is an annual event held at the Aqua Turf, who provide the hall for the program, plus ‘coffee and’. The author selected in 2016 was Anita Diamant based on her book "The Boston Girl". Over 700 attended.  Also funded by Friends this year are: 1,000 books for pre-school readers; Tween and Teen Summer Reading; BYKI Transparent Language (a personal language-learning program designed to advance language proficiency that expands individual vocabulary reservoir while tracking everything learned, then presenting additional material to move forward. (www.byki.com). Other programs funded include Universal Class, a variety of on line classes for expanded adult education; Constant Contact which enables library email blasts to subscribing members; and Hoopla which enables members to borrow digital movies, music, e-books and more by registering with your library card.

Not until you see the long-term contributions of the Friends Bookstore do you realize the magnitude of its positive impact on the community.  LaRese’s records going back to 1996 show that in the last 20 years, Friends have sold a total of over a half million books, averaging 25,000 per year through the Bookstore with aggregate revenues of more than $300,000, all donated to programs of the Southington Public Library.

Siton said, “The annual book sale is extremely popular. People always ask us when we’re running our next sale.”  LaRese said, “Donated books may be delivered to the Bookstore or placed in the gray Drop Box in the rear parking lot, Meriden Ave. side. Used books in good condition are always welcome. Each donation is treasured.” 

Southington freelance writer, Dick Fortunato, writes his weekly column, Appleseed, published in the Southington Citizen.  Comments welcome below at the  bottom of this blog post or via email at dick617@gmail.com