Book these dates

April.The month income taxes are due. The month spring flowers finally emerge. The month the Friends of the Bennington Free Library and helpers go into high gear, because May 1 is BookFest

The annual used-book sale is the primary fund-raising activity of the Friends; last year it brought in more than $9,000. More on that later, though

Founded in 1955, the Friends in Bennington is the oldest library group in the state of Vermont. Although the group no longer holds luncheons with guest speakers, as they did more than 50 years ago, the fundamental goals have remained the same: promote the library and make it an integral part of the community. The last word, "community," lies at the heart of the Friends’ activities, which continue though the year

From September through February, the Friends, along with the library and the Vermont Humanities Council (a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities), sponsor two reading series. The topic is chosen from a list put together by the Humanities Council and can range from Middle Eastern novels to Irish writers to biographies and memoirs

The community for the reading series is a group of 20 to 25 people, who meet in the Rotary Room on Sunday afternoons, both for lively discussion, led by a person also provided by the Humanities Council, and tasty snacks. While there is a core group of readers, some of whom have been

Another important community served by the Friends are people for whom reading and books are critical parts of their lives: children. For the past few years, during the February school break, up to 20 kids have stayed overnight in the Children’s Room. They’re kept busy with activities -- including, of course, story reading. I’m told that some even sleep a bit. In late May, at the Park-McCullough House, children and their parents enjoy tea on the verandah

In past years, this event was called the Mother and Daughter Tea; this year the community has widened to include all children and all parents at the You and Me Tea. Throughout the summer, hundreds of children enjoy the programs offered by the Children’s Room, programs that are paid for by monies given by the Friends

Underlying all these activities, of course, is money. The February sleepover and the tea in May are in fact fund-raisers; all the profits (most of the money taken in is profit, thanks to the generosity of local merchants and volunteers) go directly to the Children’s Room. The Friends is a membership organization; approximately 100 individuals, families and businesses pay nominal annual dues ($10 for individuals). The Friends sells book bags (available at the circulation desk). Every bit helps

Between the children’s fund-raisers, membership dues, book bags, and BookFest, Friends members raise close to $10,000 a year. Every year. That’s a lot of money. Without it, the Children’s Room could not offer its summertime programs. Without it, there would be no reading series. Without it, there would be fewer computer terminals

Without the money the Friends raises, the library would not be able to offer the services the community of Bennington has come to depend on

Which gets us back to BookFest, held at the Baptist Church on Main Street. It’s true that the Williamstown, Mass., library holds its book sale the week before we hold ours. But it’s also true that our prices are lower than theirs, and people who go to both tell us that ours is more fun

Thousands of books have been sorted into more than 70 categories -- history, biography, crafts, gardening, humor, animals and pets, cookbooks, mystery, thriller, poetry -- well, it’s hard to think of a kind of book you can’t find at BookFest

On Friday, April 30, from 6 to 9 in the evening, for a $10 admission charge, you can have first pick. On Saturday, May 1, from 9 to 4, join eager buyers choosing from thousands of books of all descriptions

Last year I checked people out. After counting towering stacks of books, I asked for $5, maybe $7.50. Why so little money? Hardcover and trade books sell for 50 cents; small, mass-market paperbacks, 4 for $1. Children are thrilled to be able to have books of their own. People told me they waited all year for BookFest to stock up on reading material. Books. The library. Community. The Friends. BookFest. Hope to see you there. Want to know more about healthy snacks for children ?

Fronia W. Simpson is president of the Friends of the Bennington Free Library