CULLMAN, Ala. – Goat Island Brewing was alive and thriving on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 29. Sounds of raucous laughter, the clinking of glasses and various karaoke songs filtered through the building as guests enjoyed the atmosphere and entertainment. In the back of the brewery was a hidden gem, the Friends of the Public Libraries of Cullman County (FPLCC) held a Books and Brews event, inviting guests to peruse and purchase one or many of the thousands of literary works, ranging from Natalie Babbitt’s “Tuck Everlasting” to Beverly Cleary’s “Ramona” to historical texts and encyclopedias piled on tables, overflowing from boxes and stacked on the floor.
Julie Freeman, president of the FPLCC said, “I had 11 pallets of books, and last year I took at least 5,000 books from the (Cullman) Middle School before they tore it down; I took some from the (Cullman City) Primary School and we also had a sweet lady come and donate about 40 boxes – it was at least two loads from her storage building. There are a lot of books!”
The proceeds from the book sale will benefit the public libraries scattered throughout the county. The books were set at a cost of 50 cents each.
Freeman said she searched for and collected books for months, leading to the astronomical number available at the sale.
As for the plans for the raised funds, Freeman said the FPLCC has some things in mind, although nothing is set in stone yet. “We are not sure exactly; we have a new library director and she is coming up with a wish list of things she would like to prioritize at the main branch,” she said. “There’s a new bookshelf in the works for Holly Pond, and then Hanceville wants a new book drop. So we have a few things in mind.”
Copyright 2024 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
