Friends of library to donate $127,000

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- The Friends of the Newport Beach Public Library will

donate $127,000 next week for the purchase of children’s books, audio

books and popular titles.

It will be the fourth consecutive year the group has raised at least

$100,000 for the city’s libraries, which include the Central Library and

Balboa, Corona del Mar and Mariners branches. The money comes from book

sales in the organization’s store at the Central Library.

“It’s just remarkable that we do such great business,” said Dee

Halliday, a member of the fund-raising group. “That we sell so many books

in that tiny little store.”

The donation helps to fund programs and stock up on books, said

library officials. Most of the money will pay for new acquisitions.

Overall, the library will spend $513,000 on new books this year.

The library has a budget of almost $3.6 million.

Librarians give a “wish list” to the group to let members know what

they want to do with the money. This year’s donation will cover $114,000

in new materials for the children’s book collection, audio books and

popular titles for all libraries, among other things. The library will

also be able to buy videos and literacy materials for tutors and

students.

Other money will fund a summer reading program and pay for the

transportation of schoolchildren to visit the libraries. Kids in the

first through fourth grades come regularly to the library, and last year

a program was set up with Newport Harbor High School.

Residents can drop off books at the organization’s store at the

Central Library, 100 Avocado Ave. The store is open from 10:30 a.m. to

4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Books can

always be dropped off during library hours.

Representatives of the fund-raising group will present a check to

library officials at the Central Library at 9 a.m. Thursday.

For more information, please call (949) 759-9667.