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A Community Store to Feed My Love of Books...and Benefit a Library


If there was ever any doubt that I adore books, you need only look at my Foodie Reads Challenges  - past and present. I published posts about 36 books in 2016, 38 in 2017; already this year, I've blogged over a dozen. 

And these are just the ones that have a food component or inspire me to create a dish. I read all the time and I read books. Real books. I don't have a kindle or any other kind of ebook reader. R does and it certainly helps when we go on trips - he brings that device and the rest of us haul a tote full of heavy books. Still, I am a book-gal.


Sadly, we don't have many brick and mortar bookstores on the Monterey Peninsula any more. Whenever we head up to the Bay Area, bookstores are always on our list of places to stop.
When The Friends of the Marina Library opened their Friends' Community Bookstore at the end of last year, I put it on my 'to-do' list.

So, when D and I had some free time this past weekend, we drove to Marina to check out the store. If you're local to me, the Friends' Community Bookstore is located at 330 Reservation Road, Suite F in the Marina Town Plaza shopping center. The hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 4 pm. 


The bookstore is just one more of the ways that The Friends of the Marina Library fulfill their mission to support the Marina Branch Library through advocacy, funding, and volunteer resources. They throw monthly block parties for kids, teach a photography camp in the Spring, show free movies throughout the year, and provide funding for the library to make purchases and more. And I love that they are completely volunteer run by people who love books as much as I do. If you're interested in volunteering, contact the bookstore manager, Joanne Bowman, at 831.277.0507 or by email at books.foml@gmail.com. 

You can also drop off donations there. That will make my husband happy. He thinks I have too many books. I retort, "There's no such thing as too many books!"


The store is organized and clearly labeled. In the front room there are shelves for local interest, rare books, and - my personal favorite - cookbooks. I spent some time staring at those books while D wandered around. There is an extensive children's book selection in its own room. Otherwise, you can clearly see hardback fiction, paperback fiction, and non-fiction. They even have DVDs, VHS tapes, and more.


Needless to say, we found an armload of books there that we now call our own. D wanted a Latin dictionary, a book on Italian grammar, a cookbook written in Italian, and a vintage board game. I walked away with a wildflower identification book, three cookbooks, and a foodie travelogue. The books are in great condition, the prices are outrageously reasonable, and the people there are helpful.

I will definitely be heading there whenever I need more books to read. I'm so grateful the store is open and that, when I purchase from there, I'm supporting our local library. Creating more readers always makes me smile. So, now I'm on a mission to share about this community store that feeds my love of books and benefits the Marina Branch Library!


Find The Friends of Marina Libary
On Facebook, on YouTube, and on Amazon

Comments

  1. Camilla did you know that you can order a book at the store by providing the title, and the volunteers will scan incoming donations and let you know if it comes in? A little personalized service that I admire. Dana

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