Friends of the Library Book Sale, 3/24-3/26

21 Mar Friends of the Library Book Sale, 3/24-3/26

Telluride’s Wilkinson Public Library joins seven other libraries in Colorado to be recognized nationally with a “Star Ranking,” but is the only Colorado Five Star library– for the ninth year in a row. And some of that star power is thanks to the Friends of the Library, which announces its next used book sale for this weekend, Friday-Sunday, March 24 – 26. Volunteers are needed, especially for half-day Thursday and Sunday work shifts. Sunday volunteers earn a free Friend’s membership. Call Nancy for info: 708-4769. 

This year’s five-star rating for the Telluride Library is based on 2014 data and is ranked based on per capita circulation, visits, program attendance, public internet computer use, and for the first time, electronic circulation.

The Library Journal Index is a national rating system designed to recognize and promote America’s public libraries, to help improve the pool of nationally collected library statistics, and to encourage library self-evaluation. To receive a Library Journal Index score, a library must have a legal service area population of at least 1,000; spend at least $10,000 annually; and report all of the data required to calculate its score. Eligible libraries are grouped by total operating expenditures and then, within each of those groups, rated based on how those five measures compare to the peer group’s averages.

San Miguel Public Library District #1 (the official name for WPL’s coverage area) services a population of just more than 6,500 in five communities within district boundaries. In 2014, the year from which the statistics are used for this year’s rating, Wilkinson Public Library had 263,267 library visits, 226,000 materials circulated, 47,000 people attending programs, 46,000 public internet computer uses, and 7,800 materials in electronic circulation.

“WPL continues to earn this ranking due the hard working and creative staff and because of our awesome community of supportive patrons,” explained library director Sarah Landeryou.

And also the efforts of the Friends of the Library (FOL)., which works to enhance what the Library offers.

The FOL is one of the hardworking nonprofits (among 100+) that tends to fly under the radar.

That is until one of its BIG USED BOOK SALES.

The Friends of the Library’s BIG USED BOOK SALE returns to the Program Room at the library on Friday and Saturday, March 24– 25, 10 a.m.– 6 p.m. and Sunday, March 26,, 10 a.m.-noon.

Become a Friends member at the sale and get four books free. 

Early shopping for FOL members and all sale volunteers on Thursday, March 23, 4:30-6:45 p.m..

Kids get a free book on Saturday.

$10 Big Bag Sale: Saturday 4-6 p.m. and Sun day 10- noon.

More about FOL:

In addition to maintaining our business partners program and conducting big book sales to handle library discards and donations, FOL fields funds requests from library staff.

FOL’s gifts to the community via the Telluride Library include:

• A mobile kitchen cart, self-checkout machine

• 10 Townie Bikes (very pink!)

• “Read With Hart” Little Free Library & a drop box for library materials in Placerville (at the M&M Mercantile)

• Program support for Jose Luis Orozco, Brian Selznick, Bioneers, Books & Cooks, etc.

• Energy-efficient lighting for the Telluride Room

• Blu-Ray projector, sound system and kitchen for the Program Room.