Andrea Hummel
Anyone who loves to read can spend a serious amount of money on their hobby. New hardback books can easily run more than $30 each. Even paperbacks can run close to $20 apiece and ebooks, while cheaper, can still put a dent in a reader’s pocketbook. A good bet has always been the public library, but arguments abound about late fees and waiting lists.
So what’s a poor prose addict to do?
A wonderful option is the Friends of the Library Bookstore situated in a room just past the circulation desk. There you can pick up magazines for a dime, paperbacks for $.25 cents and hardback books for $1 or $2.
There is often a friendly volunteer working there who can point you in the direction of your literary passion. There are biographies, mysteries, art books, books about pets – nearly anything you are hoping to find to enrich your leisure time.
There is also a great collection of large-print books for readers with fading vision, cookbooks for those bored with their regular recipes and a huge collection of historical and political books. If you don’t see what you want, ask a volunteer. It may be in the pricing room waiting for shelf space.
Want to feel even better about the books you buy? Every penny spent in the Friends of the Library Bookstore will go to support worthwhile causes. This year FOL has funded summer reading programs at five library population centers, provided summer snacks for participants at the Guadalupe branch, paid for a visit by a children’s book author to Guadalupe and Gila Bend libraries and paid for many of the programs the Robson library offers for area residents.
Come in and visit our hard-working FOL volunteers in the bookstore. You will learn what a wonderful, generous hobby you are supporting!