Nestled on the grounds of the library, at the edge of its public Commons, there is a house. Over the years, that house has served many purposes including housing the Vedic Culture Center where Bhakti yoga classes were offered. Keeping up that tradition there are free yoga classes at the library too! No mat? No worries! Everything needed is provided. So, drop by Thursday, the 30th at 4:30PM in the Community Room to try it out. But back to the house – now, with its many rooms, this house has found its truest purpose. It is where the Friends of the Sedona Library opened their used bookstore almost eight years ago.
The Library Board of Trustees purchased the land at the end of White Bear Road via an amazing gift in 1986 from Ethel Low. According to the Sedona Red Rock News, Low’s gift had one purpose: Create something “of long-lasting benefit to the community . . . that would benefit people of all ages and from every walk of life.” Throughout the decades what is offered on this property has expanded to meet the ever-changing needs of the community, and a great used bookstore was one of the necessary and now beloved additions.
Everyone in the community, locals and visitors alike, are welcome to come by and see this not-so-best kept secret. The Friends of the Sedona Library bookstore, which is staffed by a cadre of dedicated library volunteers, welcome each visitor with a smile and friendly hello. For first timers, they are always happy to give them a tour, showcasing the many different rooms in the bookstore each dedicated to a particular genre of literature. And there’s always a monthly sale going on. The January 50% off sale is on Self Help, Travel, Memoirs, and True Story books. The February sale, for those bibliophiles who love a good deal, will be on Science Fiction books, audiobooks, and movies on DVD.
The newest addition to the Friends of the Sedona Library bookstore is the Collectors Corner. What the public can find are books that were previously listed on the bookstore’s Amazon site that are now 20-30% LESS than what they were sold for!
Ellen White, volunteer bookstore manager said, “Save on shipping and shop local all while supporting the library! Everyone wins! There are many great finds in the Collectors Corner, from leather bound Easton Press editions of history books, hard to find Presidential biographies, to a great 54 volume set, Great Books of the Western Civilization. Books in the Collectors Corner aren’t part of the monthly sale though.”
Michelle Foster, bookstore volunteer said, “I love the new room for the beauty it brings into the store. Full of really great books to read and appreciate. It’s a welcoming, inviting space the way we have it decorated. Come on in and sit down! What priceless treasure can you find in here? That’s what I really love about the new Collectors Corner.”
According to Donna Hawk, long-time Library and Friends’ advocate, donor, and leader, “The success of the Friends of The Sedona Library’s used bookstore has given the organization the ability to fund more and bigger projects and programs for Community Library Sedona.”
The Friends, an independent non-profit organization, has the sole mission of providing financial support for the library. Hawk said, “From the Summer Reading program to new furniture for the Community Room, the Friends contribute in many essential ways. Kudos to the Book Store volunteers for giving their time and making it a welcoming place to shop.”
There’s something magical about perusing the shelves at the Friends of the Sedona Library Book Store. One can get lost among the stacks with classic names like Hemingway, Steinbeck, or Kerouac while discovering new ones like Rebecca Yarros, Ali Hazelwood, or R.F. Kuang, just to name a few. Or grab a tried-and-true Stephen King book, the master of horror certainly never disappoints.
The revenues generated from selling used books have been a vital part of the Friends’ success. The Book Store’s workforce is all volunteers, and its used book inventory is sourced entirely from donations. Pat, one of the Friends’ volunteers said, “I love being around books, and it gives me a sense of purpose. I love meeting people and talking about books.” This serves as even further proof of Ethel Low’s dream for the community coming true. People of all ages, and all walks of life, are benefitting from books, literacy, community, adventure, and communication.
The Friends was incorporated in 1967, and this non-profit organization has supported the library vigorously over the years. In fact, in just the last 22 years, the Friends have contributed more than $1.5 million to support and enhance library services. This includes shelving, collection development, furnishings for the children’s room, public computer stations, automated check-out, laptops for the Village Library, other technology, and so much more. Let’s all thank Ethel Low for what she gave to the community and thank the Friends for their tireless dedication and support of Community Library Sedona.
Community Library Sedona is also a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your gifts and support, just like the Friends’ contributions, allow us to provide a plethora of services and programs for the community, for free, all year long. Visit communitylibrarysedona.org/donate to make an online gift today.
As published by Red Rock News
Library News Column for January 24, 2025, by Jan Marc Quisumbing, Scheduling Coordinator