The Lake Elmo Library has a long wish list -- books, periodicals, videos, computers, bookshelves, tables and chairs. A place to put it all is on the list, too.
The city is putting together a library to serve the community's 8,000 residents. And since it is starting from scratch, Lake Elmo is soliciting donations from the public to furnish and equip its library through a campaign called "Operation Bookstrap."
The city voted earlier this year to separate itself from the Washington County Library System and use the tax money it paid into the system to run its own library. Washington County will shut down the tiny Rosalie E. Wahl Library at the end of the year as part of a budget-balancing plan.
"The county is taking everything out of the current building," said Mayor Dean Johnston. "So we, as a community, have to lift ourselves up by our own 'bookstraps'."
Flyers announcing the collection effort have been posted throughout town. They ask citizens to drop off children's books, adult fiction and nonfiction books, books-on-tape, reference materials, videos, movies, CDs, and toys and games at City Hall or at Fury Motors on Stillwater Boulevard. The flyers also request tax-deductible donations of tables and chairs, children's furniture, photocopiers and fax machines, and they encourage people to consider purchasing a newspaper or periodical subscription for the library.
The effort to stock the library is gaining momentum. In the past few weeks, the city has collected about 400 boxes of books that were left over from a used-book sale in Eagan. The Lake Elmo Jaycees bought $400 worth of material at a used-book sale and persuaded a store manager to donate eight additional boxes of books. The Jaycees, who have 42 members between ages 18 and 40 who live in the city and St. Croix Valley, also sent word to other chapters statewide that are rallying around the cause and sending in donations.
"The response has been overwhelming," said Sarah Quick, Jaycee secretary and president-elect. "Our bread and butter as an organization is to help out the community. When we heard they were starting, we asked what we could do to help and fill a library."
Quick said the Jaycees have secured more than 1,000 items, ranging from John Grisham novels to biographies on President John Adams to children's books such as "Lyle the Crocodile," the Berenstain Bears and the Boxcar Children novels. The biggest need is for current reference materials, books on tape and CDs, she said.