Health & Fitness
Open Hands, Open Hearts, Open Books
There are many ways to support your local library. We thank the many generous folks who help us by making donations to enhance our collections.
A charming little girl, dressed in a purple top and sparkly pink skirt, came up to the information desk one recent afternoon. She wanted to get a book about beetles. I asked her if she wanted to learn about the bugs, but she corrected me, saying that she wanted to learn more about a band that was popular a long time ago: The Beatles!
We showed the little girl, named Kaitlyn, her mother, and little brother, where the juvenile biographies could be found, and lo and behold, there were several books about THOSE Beatles on our shelves.
Afterwards, Kaitlyn came back to the desk. She gave some cash to the librarian there, and her mother explained that her daughter was giving us her tithe so that the library could buy more books. We assured her that the money, $7, would be put to good use. There are now two wonderful children’s books in our picture book collection that have Kaitlyn’s name on their bookplates.
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Earlier this year, our branch received a thoughtful donation from the family of George Selzer. This money was used to purchase mystery titles for our large print collection. After we put up a sign to welcome those books, we found a charming photo of Mr. Selzer nearby the next day.
In the coming weeks, materials donated to Fairfax County Public Library in memory of our former staff member, volunteer, and Friends’ secretary, Alice Pickering, will begin to arrive. Recalling Alice’s extensive service and travel with her ambassador husband, Tom Pickering, those funds will be used to update our English as a Second Language collection.
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Over the years, the amount of money available to purchase books and magazines has been eroded by budget cuts and inflation. We thank the generous folks who donate new materials to Fairfax County Public Library’s collection.
If you would like to join their ranks, the easiest way is to purchase through the Fairfax County Public Library Foundation’s wishlist at www.fairfaxlibraryfoundation.org. If you prefer, we have a bin located by the returns desk where you can donate your freshly read copy of a popular title. You will get a receipt for your gift, and your neighbors will enjoy your thoughtfulness for years to come.
