The Friends of the New Gloucester Public Library announce their spring book and bake sale, to be held on Sunday, June 9, 2024, from noon to 3 p.m. at the New Gloucester Community Building, 381 Intervale Road.
Members of the Friends are invited to a preview sale that morning from 11 a.m. to noon. Everyone is welcome to join the Friends that day, if they are not already a member.
The Friends book sales are a cherished tradition in New Gloucester that may have begun as early as 1960, when discarded books were placed on sale at the library in order to generate a little income. In the Friends’ book and bake sales of today, members of the community come together to visit and nibble on homemade cookies and bars while browsing the selections and getting a jump on summer reading.
The public is invited to donate books to the sale by bringing them to the Library, 379 Intervale Road, during open hours. Of particular interest are children’s books, and adult fiction and non-fiction. Please limit donations to two cartons or four grocery-sized bags. Containers will not be returned and library staff will not be available to assist in unloading donations. All materials should be clean and free of odors, mold, and mildew. The Friends are not accepting Reader’s Digest Condensed books, encyclopedias, text books, magazines, VHS tapes, DVDs, or CDs.
While the Library has always had a core group of volunteers, the formal organization known as the Friends of the New Gloucester Library was established in 1989. Today a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, the Friends help fund library programming, purchase books and other materials, and sponsor the library’s free museum and park passes.
Recent projects include the Friends’ popular book and bake sales, offering a raised-bed vegetable garden class, supporting summer-reading programming and book clubs, landscaping library grounds, and participating in town events, such as the Community Fair and Tiny Timber tree lighting.
In 2019, the work of the Friends received the Spirit of America Foundation Award, a tribute presented to Maine municipalities, individuals, and organizations for commendable community service.
— Annemarie Salzberg, for the Friends of the New Gloucester Public Library
