Temple Beth Israel hosts food, book drive

A group of volunteers at Temple Beth Israel is accustomed to gathering food every six weeks, but on April 30, a few new volunteers stood by to collect a different sort of nourishment: books. 

Food donations for Second Chance, Last Opportunity in Sarasota were loaded into one car while the books went to Ken Newmark, the president of Friends of Selby Library. The books were bound for the nonprofit's used bookstore inside the downtown Sarasota landmark, and all proceeds will support the various programs the library puts on. Newmark hopes to be able to support every project a librarian wants to host at the library. 

"The Friends exists to support the programs at the library," Newmark said. "That's our reason for being." 

Newmark and fellow volunteer Paul Skversky loaded more than 50 books into Newmark's car. Other Friends volunteers will research the books online to find the sweet spot between successful fundraising and affortability.

"Our shelves were almost empty," Newmark said. "It's hard to sell books with empty shelves."