April 24, 2003 – Orange boxes occupying corners of post offices and other places around St. Thomas are there to facilitate the redistribution of the island's literary assets. Or put it this way: They're set up to collect books and magazines no longer wanted by their owners that will be welcomed by others in the community.
Into these boxes people have tossed hundreds of used books and magazines over the last year. Sometimes it looks as if a donor has cleaned out the whole house, as old encyclopedias and musty books overflow the receptacles.
These are all welcomed by The Friends of the St. Thomas Public Libraries. The contents are picked up by J.J. Estemac and Larry Boschulte and carted off to a large room tucked away in Fortress Storage, space that has been donated for the cause. There, more boxes labeled "Mysteries," "Romances," "Sci-Fi's," "Children's," "Non Fiction," "Reference," "Hardback Fiction," "Women's Magazines," "Religious," "Foreign language" and "Textbooks" line the walls of the room.
Several volunteers have the pleasure of sorting the post office gleanings into the various categories. They are heard to utter comments such as:
"Oh, look, it's a very old Nancy Drew!"
"Did you ever read this?"
"This is one of the best books I've ever read. I think I'll read it again."
"Goody, more books for the Boys and Girls Club."
"This box has a lot of 'how-to' books — let's send it to the prison."
"This donation is from someone who loves Sci-fi; send it to the Nisky Book Shelves."
"Look at all these old textbooks. The academy would love these."
No one leaves on sorting day without a few prizes of their own.
All of the donated books and magazines find new homes and become important experiences in someone else's life.
The Tutu High-Rise housing community center made good use of many of the children's materials during their summer program. The Sea View Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility added some beautiful magazines and books to their library. An adult academy is using old school texts to help people study for the GED test. Afterschool organizations have been happy recipients.
The USO sends a lot of good fiction out to sea every time the sailors drop by. Eleven boxes full of books were shipped to Montserrat to help replenish a library there. Sailors off a Colombian submarine took a box of English language materials back for the children in their country. New Horizons Alternative School developed a whole library with donated books.
The "free book" shelves at Nisky Mail Boxes have as many patrons as the Adult section at the public library. Many biographies and history and sociology books go into the local jail. Paperbacks and magazines are distributed from the hospital book cart that volunteers take through Roy L. Schneider Hospital every day.
Bonnie's By the Sea, Bottoms Up, Hook Line and Sinker, Betsy's Bar and Frenchtown Deli have "free book" shelves. Books have been distributed at the Agriculture and Food Fair, at the St. Thomas Humane Societyi's Barkofest and to the Bordeaux farmers. Occasionally we find a very special book of the highest merit — it ends up on a shelf at Enid M. Baa Library.
Many of the books come back through the process again as people read and return them.
We all keep our favorite books and hope they are not destroyed by dampness or varmints until we want to read or refer to them again. But if you have some that you will never read again, please share them with The Friends of the St. Thomas Public Libraries by dropping them into one of the receptacles. They're located in all of the St. Thomas post offices, at Sunrise Pharmacy in Red Hook and in the Schneider Hospital lobby.
There especially a need for large-print books, children's books, games and puzzles, Reader's Digest magazines, and good reference materials.
Books are meant to be read, not to gather dust. And if you know of a place that can use some donated books or magazines, call Carol Lotz-Felix at 777 3579.
Editor's note: This article was written by Carol Lotz-Felix, president of The Friends of the St. Thomas Public Libraries.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
