As we settle into our new home, looking back at our recent past and forward to our next decade in Iowa City, were excited to be growing and changing. Were not usually into tooting our own horn, but here are a few things wed like to share about our successes: 1. Our inventory has doubled since the old days on Washington Street and now contains 50,000 carefully selected, cleaned, and organized books. We circulate at least half of those books every year. 2. From a staff of one, weve grown to offer three full-time and three part-time positions, with more to come. We are always open during our posted hours, and we offer online services beyond those hours. 3. Weve had the honor of working with Goodwill Industries and other groups to offer employment experience to several young interns, every one a winner just needing a chance. 4. Weve come to be friends with our Northside neighborhood and proud advocates of our fellow independent, locally owned businesses (check out the page linked below). 5. Weve raised over $18,000 for non-profit organizations like Local Foods Connection and for an academic endowment. 6. We bought and now have the privilege of curating one of the most striking historic homes in Iowa City, the 1847 Wentz House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. 7. Most importantly: Weve come to know many regulars, including young people just getting started with reading, and we are privileged to remain a part of their lives; weve also had the opportunity to circulate our communitys used books and to keep favorite authors out-of-print titles available for our City of Literature. You helped make all this possible. Well keep doing our best to find new ways to thank you and to improve what we do for you! Great places to go while youre in the neighborhood, complete with hours and a little specific tour guiding (okay, editorial praise): thehauntedbookshop/shop/haunted/index.html
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 02:24:35 +0000