Library Friends Look For Book Space

With the Town of Suffield looking for buyers for the old Bridge Street School, the Friends of the Kent Memorial Library are getting nervous about the space they currently use for storing and sorting books throughout the year.

"We're looking on finding some alternative spaces," said President Beth Chafetz. "Realistically, Bridge Street isn't such a comfortable place to sort now, but at least it's close by and has usable space."

The Friends are looking for about 500 square feet of space with heating and lighting and restroom facilities and also 700 square feet of storage.

The Friends now use 1,200 square feet of space in the old school for preparing nearly 30,000 items for sale at the annual book sale during Suffield On The Green, this year set for September 8-9.

Coming up quick is the 42nd year for the book sale which spreads out along the library frontage on Main Street and sells bargain priced books. According to the Friends, the sale earned $140,000 the past ten years and provided new books, DVDs, annual museum passes and furniture.

Chafetz said with the town actively looking to develop the school site, the future of the book sale is a big concern for the organization.

The brick school building and surrounding land, 3.43 acres in all, are located in the center of Suffield and near the library. The school building has stood mostly vacant since 2004 and carries a cost burden of about $15,000 a year because the building needs to be heated and maintained at a very basic level to prevent further deterioration.

The Friends of the Library are a group dedicated to supporting the Kent Memorial Library. For more information please contact the library at (860) 668-3896 or go to the website at http://www.suffield-library.org/friends/index.htm