Donations Sought for Book Drive

Editor's Note: Information from a news release from Friends of the Robert Trail Library.

The Friends group is planning its second annual book sale event in April, to be held at the Robert Trail Library in Rosemount.  The sale is FORT’s primary fund-raiser with all proceeds going to help our library provide more robust services to the community and enhance the library experience for everyone.

Last year Friends of Robert Trail Library raised over $3,000 from the book sale.  A portion of  the money was used to purchase five footstools the library wanted for additional seating. The Friends also donated three baskets for the library’s Winter Jackets reading program. In addition, The Friends gave away 180 children’s books during the Leprechaun Days parade day and over 200 books  at the Haunted Trail event. For its first full year of operation, the group is pleased with its accomplishments.

The key to its ability to provide more support for the library in Rosemount is to earn more money from this year’s book sale.

If you have a stack of books that are collecting dust and taking up valuable storage space, but you just don’t want to throw away, please bring them to one of our drop-off locations. Receipts for donation will be available for those donating books, CDs, DVDs or VHS.

The first phase of preparing for the book sale is the collection of as many books, CDs, and DVDs as possible to offer for sale. No magazines will be accepted. The Friends will be collecting books March 1 through April 13. To make it easy for citizens to donate books, the primary drop-off site will be the Robert Trail Library. FORT has also asked a number of local businesses to be drop-off sites.  The positive response has been overwhelming. You may drop off books, beginning March 1, at any of the following locations:

• Fireside Restaurant
• Robert Trail Library Lobby
• Suzi’s Kitchen Restaurant
• Starbucks
• Caribou

The sale will be held April 19-21. Thursday, April 19 will be Preview Day 4-8 p.m. Admission will be limited to paid members of FORT, or with a paid admission fee. Both the membership fee and the paid admission fee are $10.

Friday and Saturday, April 20 & 21  the sale will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hard cover books will sell for $1 each. Paperbacks will be priced at $.50 each. CDs and DVDs will be $2. VHS will be $1 each. A “bag sale” will be held the last two hours of the sale on Saturday. The cost for a bag of books will be $3.

The Friends is a totally volunteer group, dedicated to “sharing our excitement for literacy and lifelong learning through enhancing library services and resources”. FORT is always looking for new members and volunteers to assist the library in any way they can. Membership cost is $10. Membership forms can be found at the Robert Library. FORT is under the leadership of Jo Gilbertson, President.

The Friends of Robert Trail Library is a 501 (c )(3) tax exempt organization. Contributions to Friends, including the cost of membership, may be tax deductible. Consult your tax professional.

For more information, contact Jeanne Schwartz, 612-272 -0997.