Lopez is an island of book lovers, and what better way to show your love for books than to support the Lopez Library at its Holiday Book Sale. On Saturday, December 12, from 10 AM to 3 PM the Friends of Lopez Library will fill the library community meeting room with books for the holidays, including children’s books, cookbooks, hobby and craft books, and CDs. All are priced from 25 cents to $2, and all are in giftable pre-owned condition. Once again, the book sale Red Bag Special will allow you to fill a free red book bag to the top for a flat $20, regardless of how many books you can fit into it.

Lopez Library has the distinction of being awarded Star Library status in Washington State for the sixth year in a row. The professional award recognizes the intensity of public use of library resources per capita and accessible programs offered among libraries of the same budget class. This year, only Lopez Library achieved recognition in its budget class throughout the state, sharing the red carpet with Seattle Public Library and the King County Library System whose budgets surpass that of Lopez by nearly $30 million. “The outstanding popular programs we offer are substantially funded by the Friends,” commented Library Director and Librarian Lou Pray. “We would not have received this recognition, in part, without the support of the Friends fundraising work that allows us to offer quality programs and technology to the community.”

The Book Sales offered throughout the year by Friends of the Lopez Library provide funding for these exceptional library programs, and for events, books and equipment that are not included in the Library’s annual budget. Book sales fund summer library interns, prizes for summer reading clubs, technical equipment, furnishings, the cherished annual Teddy Bear Picnic, and speakers for the very popular series of lectures at Woodmen Hall, the Library and Lopez Center including the recent Shelter series featuring the imaginative Jersey Devils, Tiny Houses, and Treehouses.

“The Friends of the Library are grateful for the very generous donations of books from the community, and we’ve worked to put together a selection of high quality donated books in great condition for this sale,” said Friends President Taya Higgins. “Please come to the library December 12th, stock up for gift-giving, meet your book-loving friends and support your Star Library!”