Friends of Joplin Public Library Launch Annual Spring for a Book Fundraiser
Joplin, Mo. – In honor of National Library Week, the Friends of the Joplin Public Library are gearing up for their annual Spring for a Book fundraiser, set to run from Tuesday, April 1, through Saturday, April 12.
“I think there’s been just such a positive impact for our library patrons because, again, it can be frustrating to wait on books that you don’t want to buy but you know the waiting list can be two or three months,” President of the Friends of the Joplin Public Library Kathy Lazenby said. “I think that it’s just been very positive in general because people are very happy to walk in and be able to get something that they’ve really been wanting to read, you know and, and there it is. It’s their lucky day.”
The event aims to bolster the library’s collection by raising funds to purchase new books, with a special focus on expanding the popular Lucky Day collection.
The fundraiser offers donors a chance to directly impact the library’s offerings. For a $25 contribution, the Friends group will purchase a single book. A $100 donation covers a stack of books, while gifts of $250 or more will fund an entire shelf. As a token of appreciation, donors can opt to have their names featured on a special recognition decal displayed within the library.
“The Lucky Day Book Collection and the Lucky Day Book Collection can be found right inside the library doors,” Lazenby said. “These are shelves that are filled with high demand popular books. And if you walk in and are able to get one, it’s your lucky day. Hence the name.”
The Lucky Day collection, a curated selection of in-demand books, is a key focus of the fundraiser. These titles, often bestsellers or highly anticipated releases, are made available for patrons to check out without the usual wait times, enhancing access to the library’s most sought-after reads.
Donations can be made in person at the library’s circulation desk, located at 1901 E. 20th St., or online via the Friends group’s website at https://friendsofthejpl.org.
The library is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.