Community Corner

Library Bookstore Move Set for June

The Friends of the Library Bookstore expects to open in its new space in the library in early July.

Everything is on track for the to move from its West Main Street location to the Meriden Library this summer, according to the non-profit group that runs the bookstore. 

The store will likely close on May 28 and open by early July in the Friends Room of the library, group Vice President John Kenny said Monday. He told the Library Board at its monthly meeting that the group would use the month of June to pack up and bring bookshelves and stock to its new location.

The volunteer-run store sells donated books to raise funds for the library. Mounting costs of utilities and rent to maintain the 35 West Main Street storefront prompted the move, Kenny said.

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"It was costing us more to be open downtown than we were taking in," Kenny said. "Our whole point is to be raising money to help the library...we felt we were not contributing to our purpose."

The group has received a $15,000 subsidy from the city to pay the rent for the three years it has been in the space, but declined to take it this year because they weren't making enough money, said Phyllis Donovan, store manager and secretary of the group.

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"We did it to save taxpayers money," Donovan said of the move. She had glowing words for building landlord, Ross Gulino, though, saying he had worked hard to accommodate the store during its tenure and didn't propose a rate increase when the group's 3-year contract was scheduled to be renewed.  "Selling books at a dollar and two dollars a piece just doesn't make it," she said.

The store will not pay rent at the library.

"We're going to be able to accommodate most of our bookshelves there. We're quite pleased with how much space we'll be able to have over there," Donovan said. 

To help lighten the load for the move, the store is selling all its books at half-price for the month of April, and may hold a bag sale in May. 

It also will not be accepting donated books at the library during the months of May and June.

Volunteers interested in helping with the move can e-mail tgjb@cox.net or call 203-639-1505, according to the Friends of the Library website

"We're looking for younger people to help with the move," Donovan said. "We need strong backs, and we're mostly retired people." 


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