The Tradition Evolves: the 57th Annual Library Fair

By Margie Doyle

The ever-popular Library Fair will re-locate at the Library on Rose Street

Orcas Islanders are readers and the August 10 Library Fair, sponsored by the Orcas Island Friends of the Library, celebrates that fact with books sales and fair booths – and this year, it reflects changing times with its relocation to the Library itself, at 500 Rose Street in Eastsound.

The Library Fair will open at 10 a.m. and close at 3 p.m. The book stalls will take up the Library parking lot, and booths will line the driveway and the western part of Rose Street.

Why the move from Eastsound Village Green, where the Fair has taken place for years and years? Multiple factors figured in the decision, said Friends of the Library President Pierrette Guimond:

• Easier traffic control, and less distraction from the Farmers Market
• Smaller size without the art auction tent this year
• Lower cost

However, the number of books available at the book sale will be more than ever. Pierrette says there are more books this year than she’s seen in the 10 years she’s been working at the Library Fair book sale. All the books have been received at the library since the Winter Book Sale in February.

The three dozen booth rentals are managed this year by Tim Lunde, as “a showcase for fine handmade arts, crafts and food.” He can be reached at talunde1@hotmail.com to see if booths are still available. James Lobdell is Chair of the 2013 Library Fair.

The Library Fair is just one of the ways the Friends of the Library make a hefty contribution to library programs throughout the year. In addition to the August fair, they support the library with lobby book sales, the winter book sales, and shipping some books to outside organizations, as well as the Friends of the Library membership fees.

Pierrette Guimond, mastermind of the Friends of the Library Book Sale

Pierrette and Lynn Carter have managed the Library Fair’s cornerstone Book Sale in recent years and have the routine down pat; but Lynn recently broke her ankle and will be missing in action this year.

The young members of the Athletics Booster Club will help both Friday and Saturday; Justin Paulsen donates the use of his large truck. Pierrette is still looking for volunteers to help — she can be reached at 376-4264.

Books this year will sell for $2 for hardbacks and $1 for paperbacks, except for children’s books. DVDs are also $1. As in the past, there will be special pricing for some rarer or higher-quality books.

Pierrette emphasizes that, because it’s impossible to put out all the books at once, there may be a prized selection at any time. The book tables are replenished hourly, so come early if you’d like, but come back often to review “new” buried book treasures. There are about 800 boxes of books in storage, all donated since the winter book sale. “We probably won’t be able to put all the books on the tables,” Pierrette says.

“People on Orcas read so much and the fair itself draws a lot of visitors,” says Pierrette. “We can tell how much people read because of how much the library is used.”

Library Director Phil Heikkinen agrees, saying that the Orcas Library and other county libraries are consistently in the top five libraries of check-outs per capita.

He also points out the many contributions of the Friends have enabled the Library District to not ask the public for a levy since the district began in 1988. “There’s a lot we’re able to do, thanks to the Friends,” he says.

For example, the Friends have pledged to fund $45,000 to the Library District in 2013, providing assistance towards:

• Purchase of library materials
• Summer Reading Program
• Author visits and speakers for adult programs, such as  Graham Kerr, Cliff Mass, and Nancy Pearl
• Halloween books for kids
• Elementary and Middle School Book clubs
• Orcas StoryFest with Eth Noh Tec
• First Friday Book Club
• Sunday hours, begun in 2010
• Online library system

“Things are changing as far as what people want in books,” Pierrette says. “Younger generations don’t read printed books like we do.” She’s also noticed that reference books have basically been replaced by internet searches.

This is Pierrette’s last year of service on the Friends of the Library board. She is ready for new adventures, and also to re-acquaint herself with her kayak and bicycle. She also serves on the Orcas Cemetery Board, and volunteers as a gardener at Orcas Center, the Library and the Library Park on Prune Alley.

In addition to Pierrette, board members of the Friends of the Library are Valerie West, Jean Soderquist, Lynn Carter, Alayne Goodheart, James Lobdell, Carol Ordway, Jim Weimeyer, Tim Lunde, Sandra Wilson, and Kathy Morris.

(The Orcas Island Library will be OPEN during the August 10 Library Fair. For more information about the Library and the Friends of the Orcas Island Library, go to https://www.orcaslibrary.org/and to https://www.orcaslibrary.org/friends.html