By Tim Kelly
Sure signs of spring: beach tag sales are picking up, second homeowners are getting their places opened up and cleaned for the season, and the latest Book Sale of the Friends and Volunteers of the Ocean City Free Public Library is about to take place.
“They are a fantastic organization, and they really do a great job,” Library Director Karen Mahar said of the Friends and Volunteers. “We are fortunate to have such a dedicated group helping to support what we do.”
The annual spring book sale takes place Friday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is held in the atrium outside the main entrance to the library.
Hardbound books, paperbacks, fiction, nonfiction, children’s titles, even audio books are available. All proceeds are used for the benefit of one of the nation’s great public libraries.
“The book sales are really our only means for raising funds,” said Patti Phillips, one of three co-chairs for the event (along with Elaine Wilson and Debbie Moreland) so we hope the community will turn out and support the event and the library.”
Phillips said the group is passionate about the event because it enables people to increase the size of their personal libraries while helping the one in Ocean City.
“We have quite a few teachers and former teachers who belong to our organization,” she said. “That’s one reason why we are so passionate about books and about literacy.”
A great deal of planning and sweat equity goes into the sale, Phillips explained.
The books sold at the event come from a variety of sources. Some are books taken out of circulation from the library shelves, while others are donated from groups and individuals.
The human resources needed to keep the group going are fairly significant, Phillips noted.
“We need approximately 50 people each day so that we can have 10 volunteers working in shifts,” she said. “It really is an organization-wide effort.”
Sponsored by the Volunteers and Friends of the Free Public Library, the book sale also receives a big assist from the city, which donates the use of the tables where the books are displayed, delivers and installs them and then breaks them down post-event.
“We receive a great deal of cooperation from the city,” Phillips said.
The group’s mission is to focus public attention on the library and to help get the word out on its services, programs and facilities and to foster financial support, she said.
New members and volunteers are always welcome. The group holds general membership meetings the second Monday of each month in the library’s Chris Maloney Lecture Hall.
In addition to the book sale, the group prepares reading gift bags for new mothers at Shore Medical Center in Somers Point, gift bags for Ocean City’s kindergarten students, sponsors speeches by popular authors and holds “High Tea” socials, among other events and activities in support of the library.
The volunteers also organize the Dollar Books and free books tables at the library.
“We’re very lucky,” Mahar said. “The Friends and Volunteers are great advocates.”
