When was the last time you walked into our local library? For some, it may have been longer than we care to admit! With the convenient access to books and education at our fingertips, it may have slipped your mind that a hub of information is just right around the corner making an enormous effort to meet our 21st-century needs!

The Collierville Burch Library offers a variety of programs for all ages, ranging from Kids Storytimes and Tutoring, Teen activities, and Adult Book Clubs, as well as membership with the “Friends of the Library.” Betty Only, President of “Friends of the Library,” is proud of the significant strides the Burch Library has made over the years and looks forward to continued growth through fundraisers, such as the upcoming Pop-Up Book Sale on March 29th & 30th. “The women of the Contemporary Club saw the need for our town library back in 1955,” remembers Betty, “and a year later in 1956 the library opened as part of the Memphis and Shelby County library system. My mother, Sue Cowan, was the first librarian, along with many of the other active women of the Contemporary Club. My dad was a teacher at the high school and my mom knew the importance of books, and together they taught me how important it was to be involved [with the library].”

And there are many ways to get involved in addition to the mentioned programs. The Pop-Up Book Sale is only able to happen through donations from people like you! Start your Spring cleaning early this year by donating your gently used books to the Library Book Store for this sale. All genres are accepted, but please refrain from donating books that have not been stored properly. Donations at this time are low, so mention your Spring book cleaning plans to a friend! Volunteers are always welcome! There is a great need for volunteers to sort, label and assist with the sale.

You can expect to find hardback fiction and many children’s books at the Pop-Up Book Sale, located in the Halle Room of the Burch Library. All the funds raised from this event will go towards future expansion of the Burch Library! Betty encourages everyone to tell a friend and visit the library for this exciting, budget-friendly event!

“Book Sales have been a fundraiser for the expansion of the library for a long time,” says Betty. “It’s an easy way for people to find a good book and support the library! And it’s important for everyone to continue reading and visiting the library! We [The Friends of the Library] are so proud of it [library] and all that it has to offer everyone. And it needs our continued support!”

Make plans to donate your gently used books prior to the event and bring a friend to the Pop-Up Book Sale on Friday, March 29th and Saturday, March 30th in the Halle Room of the Burch Library, located at 501 Poplar View Parkway in Collierville.

By: Anna Bell