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Book Sale

2020 Used Book Sale

April 24 - 26

Book Collection has begun with purple plastic containers placed at various church entrance areas and the library for you to drop off your books.

Please remember these guidelines when donating books...No Textbooks…No User-Manuals (i.e. How-to-Use your 1985 Kenmore Microwave Oven)...No Encyclopedias…No CD's or DVD's. Books must be gently-used, covers and pages intact, clean and readable.

All proceeds from the sale will be used to buy new books for the church library. Unsold books will be given to various local charities supporting reading programs in our community, our schools and prisons. Any questions or if you would like to be a helper, contact Billie Poole by e-mail or 919-781-1261.

Location and Hours

The library is located in Room 208 just past the conference room on your way to the education building from the reception area.  For your convenience, the library is open anytime the church building is open and operates on a self-serve basis.  A library staff person is on duty on Sunday mornings from 10:30 – 11 AM.

Little Free Library

Located next to the community garden, you’ll find a little box full of books which belongs to everyone!  We’re reaching out to our neighbors, inviting them to enjoy the blessing of books and to come worship with us.  If you see something you would like to read, take it, return it or replace that book with another. Spread the love of reading to our community.

Our Collection

The Mary Smith Memorial Library offers a wide variety of resources to strengthen the faith journey of our congregation members.  A Library Catalog Computer is available at all times to help you search for a book by title, author, or keyword.  A Book List with all titles listed alphabetically or by author is also available. We are adding new books on a regular basis, so please come by often and see what’s new!

The adult non-fiction area on the right side includes the reference section offering The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentaries Volumes 1 – 12; Barclay Commentaries; Interpretation Series Bible Commentaries; various Bible Dictionaries, Atlases, and Bibles.

Other non-fiction categories include:  Biographies, John Wesley and United Methodist Studies, varied editions of the Bible, Devotional Helps, Parenting, Aging, Art & Music, Illness, Bereavement, Money Matters, Spiritual Enrichment, Church History, Christianity and Other Religions

The Adult Fiction area includes many popular authors, bestsellers and classics.

The Children and Junior Sections are on the left upon entering the library with Easy Readers, Board Books, Picture Books, and First Chapter Books. Junior Fiction includes popular authors, bestsellers and classics.

Children’s non-fiction books are in the last bookcase which includes everything from Noah’s Ark to dinosaurs to devotional helps!

Library Policy

All books and other resources taken from the library should be properly checked out, even if you are only borrowing for an hour.  Please follow the check out procedures posted at the library desk. Remember to sign your name on the Borrower’s card and place it in the card box on the library desk.  Books are due back in three weeks.  Reference books with a yellow “R” sticker on the spine are only available for use in the library.  They can be used during the Sunday School hour, Bible Study Class, etc., and returned promptly.

Books and resources must be returned to the Book Return Box in the library within three weeks.  Please return on time so others may enjoy them, too!  If your book or resource is overdue, you will receive a friendly e-mail or phone call.  The overdue policy is posted in the library.

No food or drinks are allowed in the library.

Summer Reading Program for Children

Each summer, we challenge our young readers (ages 3 to rising 6th graders) to nurture their Christian growth by participating in the Highland Summer Reading Program.  Participants must read (or have read to them) a required number of books, depending on their age, within the reading time period.  Upon completion, the readers who have met the reading requirement will be given a special reward. Details about this reading-incentive program are available in late May.

Annual Used Book Sale

The Library sponsors a Used Book Sale once a year to raise funds for new library resources, usually in the spring time.  We will accept your donations of all types of books – adult and children, current and classic editions. Please consider content when donating.  We do not accept old computer manuals, textbooks or old encyclopedias.  Collection time will be announced.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Mary Smith Memorial Library is to provide resources for members to develop a deeper Christian faith through reading and studying.  It has materials for all ages and includes nonfiction and fiction publications.

Help Us Grow

Give a gift of learning and enjoyment.  A good book placed in the church library is a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday, wedding anniversary, new baby or the memory of a loved one!  Maybe you just want to place a book in honor of someone just because they are special to you!  A library staff person is available on Sunday mornings to assist you with your donation.  A special commemorative bookplate will be placed in the book or resource.  Pick up the pamphlet, Honor and Memorial Book Program, in the library for complete details.

Book Donation Policy

Our library staff reserves the right to retain, donate or discard donated material(s) as appropriate and for the benefit of church members.

We Support a Local Mission

Christian Library International (CLI) is a non-denominational ministry which collects and distributes Christian books, Bibles and materials to over 900 U.S. prisons and missions in 45 countries.  Our library staff periodically “weeds” out duplicate copies of books or outdated editions of our library collection.  We send these on to CLI for their prison ministry.  Also, after our Used Book Sale, we send unsold Christian-themed materials to CLI.

In Memorial

Our library is named in memory of Mary Smith, former Director of Christian Education at Highland.  Mary was instrumental in starting our library and served on the library committee for many years.

Suggestions for New Books or have a question?

Please contact a Library Committee Member: Billie Poole – Chairperson; Earleen Barnes, Jane Gray, Anna Lockett, Ann Chapman, Stephanie Parker, Elizabeth Sandling, Laura Pace and Kay Stocum.