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Today is the last day of National Library Week. National Library Week was first introduced in 1958 as a time to celebrate our libraries and the people who work in libraries. Yay us!
It's also a time for me to ask you to use and support the library. I have great news. Today is also the last day of our mini book sale.
So I'm saying MINI as in tiny. It's a tiny book sale, not the big book sale you are used to. It's in the adult nonfiction area and covers about two tables as well as the normal mini book sale area with the children's books and book bundles and the adult books for sale by the elevator. Tiny. Not the normal.
Why not? Well, having a large book sale takes a lot of people-power and the pandemic isn't over yet, as much as we want it to be over. I am very appreciative of the volunteer efforts of the Mifflin County School Retirees who have helped us for as long as I can remember.
The book sale wasn't just about selling books and bringing in financial support for the library, it was also about reconnecting with our favorite school teachers and school employees. The book sale was when I would see people and old friends that I hadn't seen in years or since the last book sale. It's like Christmas in a way.
The goal is to have the big book sale, back to normal, in September. Only as long as no new variant pops up. I won't risk the health of my volunteers just to have book sale.
Speaking of book sale, we gratefully accept donations. I ask that you remember my back, your back, and the backs of the staff and volunteers. If you lift 50 pound weights, good for you but we don't.
Small grocery bag-sized donations, no boxes. They are too heavy and I'm not in my twenties any longer. We will only accept four bags at a time. Remember, this is a tiny book sale without a full team.
We can't accept textbooks, record albums, VHS tapes, encyclopedias or books that are damaged, moldy or are missing the cover. Or books that smell. Yes, people give us books that stink or are moldy.
I'm not talking about vintage older books that were in a living room for the past 20 years. Someone may be looking for a book like that. I mean yucky. We used to have someone who would take icky books and grind them up as fodder for animals, but we no longer have them because of the pandemic.
I ask for your patience and understanding.
Yes, for a time during the pandemic I wasn't accepting older books. But those restrictions are over now. If your older book is in good shape, we'll gladly take it.
I hope you can come and support our tiny book sale today until 4 p.m. Don't worry if you missed it. There are books for sale much of the time, just in a smaller quantity.
Happy National Library Week.
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Susan Miriello is the Executive Director of the Mifflin County Library.