Cleveland Library, located near I-40 Exit 312 on N.C. 42, will celebrate its three year anniversary on Thursday, August 4. On that day the library will be open from 9-9 for the public to see what community volunteers have been working on for the past three years. They recently ran the library out of address labels and bar codes after processing 140,000 donated books and movies.

Despite the need to raise funds for additional supplies and the wait until the supply order comes in, books continue to arrive as well as eight donated cases of new Blue Ray and regular DVDs. Cleveland has the largest collection available to the public in North Carolina that was built and is operated without tax dollars.

The books are arriving much faster than library volunteers can organize them and with a space shortage there are some stacks of books in the shelving areas. The staff is grateful for some unplanned arrivals, including donations after library book sales from Clayton, Durham, Harnett and the 40/42 Library Association. To volunteer, please check at the service desk.

The Summer Read for elementary school children will continue into early September, with books awarded to children up to 6th grade reading level, while parents can register for a Nook color. Forms are available on Barnes and Noble or Cleveland Library Internet sites.

By August 4, the library will have an additional four computers on U-verse 18.0 and another printer available to patrons and staff. The free Wi-Fi has been popular with the public this summer as it is used inside and outside the building.

The Cleveland Children’s Library seeks donations of another 20,000 books to meet the needs of the service area, which extends from Garner to Benson and serves many home school parents and public school teachers. Businesses and residents are encouraged to collect and drop books off at the library, except for coloring, puzzle, and other forms of write-in books. The library usually does not shelve pop-up books, or books with unusual shapes, including sound bars.

Cleveland is open Mondays 1-9; Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays 9-5. It is closed for state recognized holidays and local inclement weather days.

Starting August 4, Cleveland will charge $.10 a day for late fees. Until then all overdue Cleveland books may be returned free. Books overdue to other libraries will still need to have their fines paid. Instead of paying the late fees, patrons may donate food at the library for the Cleveland Township Emergency Food Pantry, which shares the same building, but is only open Monday evenings and early Saturdays.

Volunteers are needed to canvas their subdivisions for potential members of Friends of Cleveland Library and financial donations for library rent and supplies. For more information, contact the library service desk at 919-661-6565, or www.4042needs.org/library.