NAHANT — The Friends of the Public Library held a book sale last weekend that can only be described as a resounding success.
The nonprofit organization supports the Nahant Public Library financially. One of its more recent efforts was purchasing books for summer reading so that participants didn’t have to pay. In the past, the group has also paid to bring speakers to the library and has helped with renovations and repairs to the building.
“Basically, they step in where there might not be money in the annual budget to cover (expenses),” said Library Director Sharon Hawkes.
Hawkes added that they were able to sell over 2,000 books and raised nearly $2,000.
Beyond the financial gain, Hawkes said that the event was a chance to engage with the community.
“I thought it was an excellent opportunity for all different members of the community to come together,” she added. “I even gave tours to couples who had moved here but really didn’t know their neighbors yet because they had been isolated due to COVID. So it was a great time had by all.”
Hawkes believes that the library plays an important role in the community as a place where everyone can come together. The library is a robust location with many different uses for the community, she said.
“(We have) everything from WiFi (and) computers to of course books, movies, music, and opportunities to come together in formal and informal ways,” she said.
Hawkes said the library hopes to return to pre-pandemic hours of operation in the fall.
