Residents of Holts Summit will have their first chance to explore the inside of the city's potential new library Friday and Saturday during a book sale by the Holts Summit Community Empowerment Foundation.
The sale will be 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the recently renovated space in Summit Plaza at 188 W. Simon Blvd.
Although a lease agreement with the Daniel Boone Regional Library is still pending, 3,800 cases of donated books have been arranged on shelving for the sale. Hardback books will be sold for $2, paperback books will be sold for $1 and children's books will be sold for around 25 cents.
There will also be VHS tapes, audio books and games for children on sale.
Marty Wilson, member of the Holts Summit Community Empowerment Foundation, said until this weekend, the space has largely been closed off to the public.
"This is an opportunity for (people) to see the library space," Wilson said. "It won't look like (its current condition) when the library is there - we added tons of extra shelves because we were trying to make it more orderly and easier for people to pursue the books. So, the layout isn't exactly what it will be, but they'll be able to see all the work we've done and hopefully be impressed."
Wilson said money raised by the sale will go to the foundation to pay back the two loans it has taken out to fund the renovation of the building to make it into a library.
Some of the funds raised will also go to the Capital City Christian Church. Wilson said one of the deacons at Capital City, Matt Kramer, has been involved with the process to create the library since the beginning, and volunteers from the church have been an important part of the effort.
"Their group has come and helped set up the shelves and stocked them and sorted the books and so part of the proceeds is going go to them for a mission trip that they are doing," Wilson said.
The Holts Summit Community Empowerment Foundation has been leading the effort to bring a library to Holts Summit, funding the renovation of a space in the Summit Plaza to try and entice a library system to take over the location.
DBRL accepted a letter of intent from the foundation last month to use the property with the cost of rent being waived for the first two years. An agreement isn't finished, but Wilson said a final agreement should be completed soon.
The foundation plans to renovate the neighboring property for another community project as well, Wilson added, but first must pay its current debt.