Books For Friends brings books, community activities to mall

People come to Books For Friends to find a book, learn a dance, or spend time with neighbors.

Part bookstore, part library activity center, the organization has found a home at The Lakes Mall. It brings programs and low-cost books into a once-empty storefront while raising money for the Fruitport District Library.

Julie Sanderson, the store manager and a member of the Friends of the Fruitport District Library, says she hears visitors say, “I’m so glad you’re here” and “What a great place this is.”

“Those reactions tell us that people weren’t just looking for another bookstore, but for a place like BFF,” she says.

The bookstore and activity center help solve two problems for the library. Its current building has limited room for programs, and its stairs make it hard for some people to enter.

“The mall space gives the library more room and makes programs more accessible. Book sales help pay for library needs and raise money for a new building.

Going to where people are

Library Director Matthew Lubbers-Moore first considered the mall after hearing about a busy December craft and vendor show at Cinderella’s Closet.

He asked the owner if the library could take part in a second event. The library’s youth librarian led a storytime and came back with news that the mall was packed.

Lubbers-Moore saw a chance to bring library programs to a place where people were already gathering.

“We saw a need for a welcoming, affordable space where people in the community could come together, discover new interests, and build connections that was accessible,” he says.

He received $18,000 from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council to support arts and cultural programs. Plans included family storytime with crafts, line dancing, and the library’s October Arts Gala.

A $2,000 grant from Molina Health paid for chair yoga classes for older adults, helping them stay active and meet people. Mahjong classes give them another opportunity to make friends. 

Lubbers-Moore also wanted to use the space between programs. He asked the Friends group if it could sell donated books in the front of the store.

“From the beginning, Books For Friends was planned as both a used bookstore and a library activity center for the community,” Sanderson says.

The space also helps people learn about library services they may not know about.

“Someone may first walk through our doors to browse the bookstore and through that visit discover something at the library they didn’t know was even an option,” Sanderson says.

Community support

Sanderson works with Lubbers-Moore to run the store, while volunteers support the store by giving books, buying books, and helping out. They include longtime Friends members, teens in the Young Friends group, and elementary-age children in Junior Friends.

Some work regular shifts. Others help with special tasks. A group known as the “Poppins” stops in when members have time to put away books, alphabetize them, or tidy the store.

“We can always find a purpose for someone who wants to help,” Sanderson says. “BFF isn’t just part of the community. There’s room for the community to become part of BFF.”

Sanderson says people keep donating books, shopping and asking how they can help. People can take part without buying anything.

“They don’t have to buy something every time they walk through the door,” Sanderson says, “but it’s nice if they do.”

Money from book sales serves several needs. A smaller share pays store costs. Another share helps pay for library programs and supplies. The largest share goes toward supporting the library’s building fund.

Turnout beats expectations

Books For Friends drew 423 visitors to its July grand opening, including 76 children who participated in a carnival. During the summer, the space welcomed about 100 to 200 visitors a day, Sanderson says.

Wednesday morning storytime and crafts draw families. Beginner line dancing and chair yoga have steady crowds. Several hundred children, families and groups of friends completed the summer Dino Hunt.

“Our chair yoga is the most popular event,” he says.

Lubbers-Moore says more people have joined the programs than he expected. He thought about six people would attend the first Mahjong class. Instead, 13 came and kept attending through all four weeks. The interest led to a second class.

Staff watch which activities draw people to help plan new programs. 

While the mall space helps the library offer programs, it does not remove the barriers at the current library. Lubbers-Moore says the library is looking into building a new library in the next couple of years. He hopes to keep offering activities at the mall until the new space is ready.

The library also is talking with literacy groups in Muskegon and Ottawa counties about ways to share the space and help more people who struggle with reading.

Sanderson hopes to develop programs that bring people of different ages together to learn, including tutoring, support for homeschool families, reading programs and classes focused on new skills. BFF and the library plan to explore those ideas together.

The bookstore is planning “Play with the Books” events. It also offers themed book bundles through “Build a Kit,” an activity that lets customers create their own sets of books.

A fundraising weekend with a nostalgia theme is planned for January.

Books For Friends could move into a new library, stay at the mall or take another form. Its next steps will depend on how it grows and what people need.

“Long term, we’ll evaluate how BFF grows and let that guide what’s next,” Sanderson says. “What matters most is that it continues to serve the library and the community well.”

Visit the Friends of the Fruitport District Library’s Facebook page to learn about events, activities and ways to help.

Photos courtesy of Books for Friends