The current ‘economic downturn’ is having an impact on almost everything. Our local library is no exception. The Sno-Isle Library System is making many tough decisions in order to reduce their expenses. One of these is ordering far fewer new books. This saves money, but it also means fewer new books go onto the shelves, older books stay on the shelves much longer.

Fewer books being pulled from circulation has a dramatic impact on fund raising by the Friends of the Arlington Library. The books we sell come from two sources. The first is donations from the public. The second, and far larger source, is from the Sno-Isle Service Center. Periodically, the Friends go to the Service Center, pack up books, and bring them back to our local library to sort, shelve and sell. This is pretty labor intensive — but as you know, volunteer labor is cheap.

Now, and certainly for the near future, few books will be available to us at the Service Center. This means the Friends are raising far less money to fund wonderful library programs or make special purchases. Money from the Friends supports programs and resources for all ages: board books and toys for Baby Book Time; Mardi Gras craft day, Hawaii Week, and summer reading program prizes for children; snacks for teenager Gaming days at the Library, as well as the teen Duct Tape Build; adult water color classes and digital photo classes; and for everyone, live music events and new headphones for the computers. And the list goes on.

Fortunately, there is something you can do to help save these programs and purchases– and that ‘something’ is probably sitting a bookshelf near you! In fact, I bet there are a lot of ‘somethings’ just sitting there gathering dust. This is the time to do what you have probably been planning on doing anyway: box up those books you are never going to read, or read again, and bring them to the Friends at the Arlington Library. In these economic times, isn’t it nice to know you can make a much needed donation and it won’t cost you anything?

Virginia Hatch

Arlington