Poplar Bluff Library Outreach and Programming Coordinator Makayla Harber, Altrusa Service Committee Chairperson Corretta Bishop, Altrusa President Sharon Fraser, and Altrusa Vice President and Secretary Melody Beigle pose with some of the books that have already been donated for the Santa Land Book Drive.
In an effort to give the gift of reading, the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library and the Altrusa Club of Poplar Bluff have teamed up to encourage businesses to collect children’s books. And the prize for the business that donates the most books will be bragging rights.
“We’re trying to foster some friendly competition between area businesses to see who can get the most books donated,” said Makayla Harber, outreach and programming coordinator for the Poplar Bluff Library. “We thought that sense of competition could help make it more fun for the businesses that participate and hopefully also set a new record for the number of books being donated.”
According to Harber, the business that donates the most gently-used or new children’s books will take home a trophy, as well as receiving recognition within the community.
“The drive started on Oct. 1, and we have collected around 400 books at this point,” Harber noted. “We would really like to get more than 1,000 to distribute this year.”
The book drive will end on Nov. 30, and following that, the books will be distributed to children during the Santa Land event Dec. 3, at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff.
Harber only recently started working for the library and said she is excited to have the book drive set as her first big project.
“I have even offered to come out and personally pick up the books, if necessary,” Harber explained. “And the books can be dropped off here at the library.”
Harber said the books must be children’s books, although not for any specific age group.
“They just need to be general children’s books,” Harber explained. “Either books for little children as well as some for older children. We just hope that what gets donated is in good shape.”
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