We Can Accept
In preparation for our annual Sweet Corn Book Sale, no donations will be accepted June 3 - August 1.
Donations will be welcomed back starting August 1.
PLEASE NOTE: Members of the public can donate up to 2 banker sized boxes at a time to the Bookstore, when it is open. If you have larger donations, please call to schedule a drop-off time. Our volunteers will call you back to confirm a date/time.
Friends of the Chatham Area Public Library - Bahlow Bookstore Donation Guidelines
We welcome your clean and gently used items. If they have been stored in basements, attics, or garages, they are most likely unacceptable. Due to space limitations, the Bookstore can accept 5 medium-sized boxes (approximately 13″x12″x15″) or less of donations at a time.
We graciously accept the following materials:
FICTION: Hardcover and Paperback, Graphic Novels, Manga
NON-FICTION: Biography, History, Gardening, Cook Books, Crafting, Coffee Table, Etc.
CHILDREN’S FICTION: Board books, Picture books, Chapter books, Series
CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION: Animals, Sports, Science, Biographies, Etc.
YOUNG ADULT/TEEN FICTION: Hardcover and Paperback, Series
AUDIO BOOKS/DVD’S/CD’s: Adult and Children
VIDEO GAMES: Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo
MAGAZINES: Must be current editions (no older than 6 months)
JIGSAW PUZZLES: Please make sure all of the pieces are included
ITEMS OF LOCAL HISTORICAL INTEREST: Yearbooks, Historical documents, pictures or physical items relevant to the Ball-Chatham area. Please contact Alanna, Local History Librarian at asablotny@chathamlib.org or by calling the Library.
We also invite the librarians to look through new donations in case any donated materials can be added to the library’s collection. Many items have been added in this way, especially replacement copies of damaged books. We are able to save the library hundreds of dollars that can then be used for purchasing additional new materials.
Remember, donations to the Friends of the Library may be tax-deductible! Just ask Friends Volunteer for a receipt. We cannot, however, assign a dollar value to your donation.
Bookstore Hours
Monday 9:30 - 3:30
Tuesday 9:30 - 3:30
Wednesday 9:30 - 7:00
Thursday 9:30 - 3:30
Friday 9:30 - 3:30
Saturday 9:30 - 3:30
We Cannot Accept
Due to limited storage space, we must be selective about accepted donations.
We cannot use:
VHS/Audio Cassette Tapes
Readers' Digest Condensed Books
Encyclopedias
Textbooks
Out of Date medical or legal books
Books that are falling apart, torn, with broken spines or contain excessive writing or highlighting
Books that are dirty, water damaged, evidence of bug infestation or moldy (If books have orange or black spots on the page edges, this is a sign of mold and you should discard them in the trash.)
We reserve the right to refuse unsellable donations. Please do not use the book return slots for your donations.
Do you have a milestone you'd like to celebrate or a loved one to remember? Monetary donations for the purpose of adding material into the collection to honor or celebrate your loved ones is available.
You are also welcome to donate in person at the Library, or mail your donation to 600 East Spruce Street, Chatham, IL 62629. All checks can be made out to the Chatham Area Public Library.
The library will purchase the book and add a bookplate with your specified inscription.
Thank you for your interest in donating to our Library!
For more information, please contact the Library at 217-483-2713.
Monetary Donations
Donations of any amount are welcome and will be used to purchase new materials for the library, including adult, children, young adult and large print books; CDs; DVDs; and newspaper, magazine, or database subscriptions. Please specify if you would like your donation to be used for a particular collection.
Volunteering
Volunteer for the Library
Volunteers are welcome during certain set hours throughout the week after a 1-hour mandatory training session has been attended. We appreciate the many people wanting to support our library, and we want to make sure we use their time efficiently. To volunteer for the Library, apply here.
Volunteer for the Friends of the Library
Anyone can volunteer with Friends, regardless of their membership status. Volunteers can participate in a variety of activities:
- Working at the biannual booksales held in the Library Galleries
- Staffing the Friends’ Café & Bookstore
- Acting, serving or baking at our March Murder Mystery Fundraiser
- Being a member on the Friends Board. Help guide the Friends with their fundraising efforts and determine how to assist the Library with their programming and equipment needs.
- Helping at other Friends-sponsored library events
To volunteer for the Friends, apply here.