The Keizer Community Library is helping the Idanha Library stock up on children’s books (Submitted).
The town of Idanha, located on Route 22 on the Santiam River, has a community library that is run through the town’s city hall. While it has a number of dedicated volunteers, the library is lacking in certain genres, such as children’s books.
“We don’t have a big variety of books in our library,” said Jeanette Weikum, one of the volunteers with the Idanha Library.
Fortunately, the volunteers at the Keizer Community Library (KCL) wanted to step in and help out by donating more than 30 children’s books to the Idanha Library last month.
“We’re passionate about libraries and we want books in the hands of everyone,” said Vicki Brammeier, the manager of KCL. “The (Santiam)Canyon has experienced so much adversity, so we wanted to make sure that every kid could have a book of their own if they wanted.”
When KCL was running their $5 Bag of Books sale in October, Wanda Blume, a KCL volunteer, received a call from the Idanha Library asking to buy more than two dozen children’s books for their collection.
With all the turmoil that the Santiam Canyon has experienced this year, from COVID-19 to the Oregon wildfires, KCL refused to accept any money. Instead, KCL filled up a box filled with all kinds of children’s books and donated them to the Idanha Library.
All books are currently available for kids in the Detroit-Idanha area to borrow.
“It makes us feel like we are a part of the library system. We just wanted to figure out what we could do to help. We want to support other community libraries the best that we can,” said KCL volunteer Gayle McMurria-Bachik, who recently followed up with the city hall in Idanha and asked if there were any other ways that KCL could be of service.
The Idanha Library was appreciative of the kind gesture.
“It was amazing. It definitely helped us bolster our children’s books section and gave us more variety,” Weikum said.
KCL is still running their $5 bag of books program. Those interested can call the library at 503-390-2370 or email [email protected] to place an order and make an appointment for curbside pick up.