Amidst the commercials for jewelry, electronics and other pricey trinkets, the gift of giving something as simple as a book can get lost.
People may not be able to wear it, and it may not sparkle on your finger but, as the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library (PARL) looks to fill their shelves and add to their collection, it’s their hope that the community can help through their Gift-a-Book Campaign.
In its sixth year, the recently renamed Gift-a-Book Campaign (formerly known as the Adopt-a-Book campaign) starts Nov. 28 and runs until Dec. 31. The campaign’s purpose is to add to the library’s collection in a variety of reading formats, from the traditional print formats to audiobooks, as well as DVDs. It also serves as a good, reasonably priced gift option for those who are supporters of the library, and are hard to shop for during the holiday season.
“As the cost of books and other collection materials goes up, our budget stays relatively the same,” says Greg Hayward, technical services librarian. “For those who are as passionate about libraries as we are, this campaign is an opportunity to help the communities our libraries serve by purchasing an item that can eventually be enjoyed by others for years to come,” he adds.
To make a contribution to the Gift-a-Book campaign, people can stop into their local library or visit www.parl.ns.ca to view the complete Holiday Wish List of items, pick a title and make your donation, then the library will purchase your chosen book. Carefully selected by PARL’s Collection Development Department and library staff, the items include books from a variety of genres and formats, suitable for all ages and price ranges starting at $5 for early readers. It also includes DVDs.
Donations can also be branch specific, so people can choose the library location that they would like their item to be placed in and also be the very first person to borrow the item.
To make sure donations are recognized, a special bookplate with the inscription of the donor’s name or choice of name is placed in the inside front cover of each book. Since the public library is a charitable organization, a tax receipt may be issued upon request for items valued at $10 or higher.
For more information about the program, visit www.parl.ns.ca, stop into your local library or call Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library Headquarters at (902) 755-6031 or toll-free 1 (866) 779-7761.
