All libraries in the Appalachian Regional Library system, except for the Western Watauga Branch Library, are currently open to the public. Masks are required to enter, and building capacities and length of visits will be reduced for the time being.
Friends of the Library
The Friends are major supporters of the library, its programs, services and staff. Listed below are some of their primary activities. You can join the Friends while at the library at any time. Meetings of the Friends of the Library board of officers are held on first Wednesdays of announced months in the Evelyn Johnson Meeting Room and are open to all members. During the pandemic, we are meeting via Zoom.
The Watauga Friends of the Library organization may be contacted via email at this address:
wataugacountyfol@gmail.com
For an application to join the Friends of the Library, click here.
Applications may be mailed to:
Friends of the Watauga County Public Library
140 Queen Street
Boone, NC 28607
Check out their new Facebook page!
The Friends of the Watauga County Public Library now have a Facebook page. Please follow them to stay up-to-date on upcoming used book sales; reading and literacy activities; ways to support the library; and donation dates for accepting gently used books, movies on DVD, music on CD, audio books on CD, puzzles, games, and recent magazines. On Facebook, search for Friends of the Watauga County Public Library and like, follow and invite your friends to follow their posts. These are helpful ways to expand who sees their posts and to increase awareness of the organization and what they do and support.
Newsletter
Gently Used Book Sales
Used book sales are conducted to raise money in support of our library. The Friends collect books throughout the year. Donations may be made any time during Library Hours of Operation by delivering books to the Circulation Desk of the Library. The friends hold two annual book sales, usually in the spring and late summer, plus a holiday book sale. Books are also continuously on sale at the library in a special area near the library's entrance.
Public donations are crucial for our sales; we resell books, magazines, and DVDs. (See guidelines, below *)
Donate to the Friends of the Library through Amazon Smile!
You may support the Watauga Friends of the Library when you make purchases from Amazon.com via the Amazon Smile program. In order to browse or shop at AmazonSmile, customers must first select a charitable organization. For eligible purchases at AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the customer's selected charitable organization. Visit org.amazon.com to learn more, smile.amazon.com to register.
Community Events
Programming serves the community and increases patronage. The Friends sponsor author visits, displays, and other special events in the Friends of the Library meeting room. In past years programs have included musical performances, speakers, visiting authors and Summer Reading programs for children.
Volunteer Opportunities
Our annual gift to the library provides funds in support of programming for children and adults, and other items not covered in the library's regular budget. Funds raised during our book sales are the main source for the Friends' financial support of the library. Volunteers are vital to our book sales' success — collecting, moving, sorting and pricing donated materials is the work behind the scenes while others sell during the sales. Let us know what skills or talents you would like to offer!
Staff Development
Staff members wishing to further their education in the library field may seek approval from the County Librarian to take a course or attend a conference and have the cost reimbursed by the Friends.
* Guidelines for Book Donations
Acceptable Items
The Friends accepts the following clean, gently used, salable items:
- Books for adults, teens, and children
- Magazines less than 2 years old
- Computer Manuals less than 2 years old
- Audio Books on CD
- Movies on DVD
- Music on CD
- Puzzles and Games (all pieces included)
- Rare or Unique Topic Books
Unacceptable Items
The Friends does not accept:
- Books that are water-damaged, mildewed, warped, dirty, heavily marked/highlighted or that have torn/missing pages/covers
- Magazines more than 2 years old or that are water-damaged, mildewed, warped, or dirty
- Computer Manuals more than 2 years old
- Encyclopedias
- Cassette Tapes
- VHS Tapes
- Vinyl Records
- Textbooks