Library Book Sale Postponed; New Date: July 9th
The library needs donations of used children’s and adult hardcover and paperback books to add to the book sale. Please drop them off during regular library hours: Monday – Saturday, 3pm – 7pm. (On Wednesdays, the library’s open an extra hour until 8pm!)
The Book Sale will be open on Wednesday, July 9th from 9am – 3pm. If you’re a member of Ocracoke Friends of the Library, you can get in extra early at 8:30am for the best pickin’s. Not a member? Lucky you – you can join at the door for just $5 for individuals and $10 for the whole family.
Each year, Ocracoke Friends of the Library buys books for the Ocracoke School Library and Community Library (two entities under one roof!), pays for magazine subscriptions and books subscription services, provides funds for new mobile or fixed shelving as needed, hires and pays a library custodian for the summer months, pays for annual carpet cleaning, supports library programming for children and adults, and manages several memorial funds and donations. They’ve also purchased computers and electronic equipment for library patrons to use. Plans are in the works for expanding the computer room, which will open up space for library classes during the school day.
Friends of the Library also sponsors the Summer Reading Program by funding programs, activities, prizes, and books for over 25 children in grades K-4.
All this and more is made possible by the Friends’ biggest fundraiser: the Used Book Sale!
Can’t make it on the 9th? The Book Sale will continue through the month of July during regular library hours.
The Friends of the Library board is comprised of Scott Bradley, president; Carol Pahl, treasurer; Ann Borland, membership; Sundae Horn, secretary; and members-at-large Phyllis Wall, Gisela Zastrow, Bill Jones, and Cathy Scarborough. Trisha David serves as Ocracoke/Hyde County’s representative on the BHM Library Board
Ocracoke Community Library welcomed a new staff member this spring, Richard Spillane, who joined school librarian on the library team Allison Moote. The library also recently hired Katarina Atherholt to work the Saturday shift.
Richard was born and raised in Tampa, FL, and attended the University of South Florida in his hometown, earning a degree in English Literature 2012. Upon graduating, Richard moved to Kentucky, where he worked in hotel management, and had the good fortune to meet Samara Skinner, whose mother is a librarian in Kentucky and whose father lives on Ocracoke.
Richard came to Ocracoke sight unseen intending to spend the summer on the island (with Samara.) Now that he has the library job, the couple intends to stay at least through next summer.
“In small communities like Ocracoke, the library is really important,” Richard said. “It’s a huge resource. Like most places, our library is extremely underfunded. But community resources are important.”
Richard says that he’s happy to provide a real service to the community.
“The idea that everyone has a computer and access to information is ridiculous,” he said.
Richard organized this year’s Summer Reading Program, which has a science theme this year. The next program will be Friday, June 27th at 3:30pm at the new Fire Hall. Our volunteer firefighters will help the kids learn about fire safety and prevention. All are welcome to this free program!
A room without books is like a body without a soul -- Cicero
Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation. -- Walter Cronkite
