The Library Association of Waxhaw celebrated their 10th anniversary this year. Started in the Spring of 2009, the Library Association of Waxhaw (LAW) was founded, and remains, a non-profit dedicated to supporting the Waxhaw Library. Currently, they raise funds to assist the Waxhaw Library with special purchases and are looking forward to the construction of the new Waxhaw Library. Funds are raised through used book sales at their storefront, The Reading Room. They also offer yearly memberships for $10 and members receive a discount on book purchases. Any membership purchased in the last quarter of 2019 will be good through the end of 2020.
In the past, LAW has been able to assist the Waxhaw Library by purchasing two early literacy computer stations and two sets of headphones with adjustable volume controls, suitable for children. This specialized computer is designed for use by children who can’t read yet. They have also purchased furniture and materials for Children’s Story Time. Most of these suggestions have been made by the staff at the Waxhaw Library but LAW is open to any suggestions on how they can help the library and community.
The Reading Room is staffed by volunteers from LAW. Currently, there are 28 volunteers and 32 members making it work. They are open six days a week and are seeking more volunteers to work at the shop in shifts. Shifts can be as short as three hours, so you don’t have to give up a whole day for it. They also work with the local high schools and their volunteer programs. Terry Settle, President of LAW, also shared that they have recently expanded to selling books on Amazon. However, fiction remains the most popular types of books sold in the store. They also have a wide range of collectible books that are on sale for $5 or less. Please come with cash or check, since The Reading Room doesn’t accept credit cards.
In February of 2010, The Reading Room opened in Downtown Waxhaw and in 2014 it moved to its current location. The move was quite difficult due to the new location’s smaller footprint, but with the help of the volunteers and the community, they were able to make it fit. The Reading Room accepts donations of gently used clean books, CDs, DVDs, and puzzles with no missing pieces. They do not accept textbooks or encyclopedias. Please make sure you donate materials when The Reading Room is open so that donations are not damaged by the elements. Any donations that cannot be used by The Reading Room are passed along to the Friends of the Library, Second Chance Boutique, Goodwill, Waxhaw Elementary, and Western Union Elementary.
“The Library Association of Waxhaw (LAW) is a non-profit, educational and charitable organization. The purpose of LAW shall be to raise funds to support the establishment of a new, larger library in Waxhaw with expanded services. Furthermore, the LAW shall maintain an association of persons interested in libraries; to focus public attention on the library; to stimulate the use of the library’s resources; to receive and encourage gifts, endowments and bequests to the library; to support and cooperate with the local library in developing library services and facilities for the community; and to support the freedom to read as expressed in the American Library Association Bill of Rights.”
The Reading Room Used Bookstore: 201B West South Main Street, PO Box 1444, Waxhaw, NC 28173; www.libraryassociationofwaxhaw.org; waxhawbookstore@gmail.com
