Library 101: A refresher

At any given time approximately 4000 items – books, magazines, movies on DVD, audio books on CD, puzzles and more – are shelved or in circulation at the library at Madera Clubhouse. All items are donated by residents and renters. Monthly average circulation of books is estimated to exceed 1000. More than half of the materials in the library are located behind closed cabinet doors (see photo). Written procedures related to the library are located on the return cabinet at the library entrance. The magazine section is very popular and with few exceptions includes only the most recent issues.

Donated items should be placed in the basket in the hall near the library door where they can be checked in and shelved by one of the 35 to 40 volunteers. Fiction and non-fiction books are shelved alphabetically by author. Because shelf space is limited, only those books that are less than seven years old are kept in the library, with exceptions made for particularly popular authors.

Donations that are not kept are taken to the VA Hospital or VA Home in Tucson, Animal League of Green Valley or the White Elephant. Surplus magazines go to the Green Valley Library or the White Elephant for resale.

Using the library couldn’t be easier: no check-out required, no fines, no return deadlines. Except for occasional events in the clubhouse, the library is open whenever the clubhouse is open. With four meeting rooms now available for scheduled meetings and games in the Kino Center, the library is no longer used for those purposes.

Anyone interested in volunteering to help in the library should contact Chair Dawn Bangs at 395 6399.