The Friends of the Michigan Tech Library is a nonprofit organization, supporting the library through donations, sales of books, and other fundraising. They have an upcoming book sale during Winter Carnival on Saturday, Feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside the library. Free hot chocolate and cookies will also be available.
All proceeds of the event will go toward the Michigan Tech Library. Walton clarified, “All of our proceeds, with no overhead, are used to fund purchases of things like specific equipment for the library, such as the book scanner in the garden level and the GoPro cameras that can be checked out from the circulation desk. We also contribute to the popular fiction reading collections, and fund travel grants for researchers to come to use our Copper Country Archives.“
When asked what their favorite part of the event is, Steven Walton, E-board of Friends of the Library and Associate Professor with Social Sciences said, “Watching the families and visitors to the snow sculptures come in and be absolutely delighted to find so many books at such low prices and it’s a nice break from wandering around campus, often in the freezing cold. In fact, their generous additional donations have always been remarkable.”
Originally founded as the Friends of the Van Pelt Library in 1995, the organization puts their funds towards the library’s technology, scholarships, and internship funding. Beyond their events, most students might recognize them from either their donation box inside the library’s front vestibule between the doors, or their bookshelf to the left of the library desk. There they sell hardcover books for $2, and paperbacks for $1.
The Friends of the Michigan Tech Library’s next sale after Winter Carnival will take place on Wednesday, Mar. 25 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Thursday, Mar. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The first day will be for students and members, while the second is open to the general public. Membership is free for students, but $20o or above for community members looking to donate and join. More information can be found on their website at lib.sites.mtu.edu/friends/.
