Friends group supports Bella Vista Library

Lynn Atkins/The Weekly Vista Effie Bell checks the shelves of the Encore Bookstore, located inside the library. The bookstore is still the most important fundraiser organized by the Friends of the Bella Vista Library.
Lynn Atkins/The Weekly Vista Effie Bell checks the shelves of the Encore Bookstore, located inside the library. The bookstore is still the most important fundraiser organized by the Friends of the Bella Vista Library.

For years, the Bella Vista Library has been supported by an active group of volunteers. Volunteers man the front desk, shelve books and help with programming. Many of the volunteers are also members of the Friends of the Bella Vista Library. Next week, they get to celebrate during the 13th annual National Friends of Libraries Week.

There are Friends groups all over the country, Pat Kirby, president of the Bella Vista group explained. While local volunteers may be particularly active, they aren't unique. United for Libraries, a division of American Library Association, has approximately 5,000 Friends of Library, Trustee, Foundation and individual members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters.

In Bella Vista, the Friends group has spent the last few years raising money for the new addition to the library. With yard sales, holiday baskets and special events, the group raised $175,000 over the past five years,

Kirby said the group is looking for new fundraisers now that the expansion is about to begin. It will probably dedicate some funds to programming in the library, she said. In the past, it paid for both equipment and some programming fees. It may also dedicate some funds to a parking lot expansion that will be needed when the new space opens.

There are 400 members of the Friends group, but Kirby said it's time for some younger members to step up and join the board.

The Encore bookstore, the used bookstore inside the library, is still the biggest fundraiser, Kirby said. Residents donate books, and the store also gets the books discarded from the library shelves. Although the books are resold at a very low rate, the shop still makes a healthy profit which is donated back to the library.

The group isn't planning any special events for National Friends of Libraries Week.

General News on 10/17/2018