Galeton & Wellsboro Teen Book Clubs

Do you remember what it was like to be a teenager? The hormones, the stress, the uncertainty? You probably do. It wasn’t that long ago. Or, maybe it was, but some things never change. I grew up in small town America, in the rural area surrounding Wellsboro. There weren’t a lot of opportunities, especially for adolescents. I loved to read, and we had a good library for a small town. Reading opened a world. It allowed me to learn about and observe cultures that I didn’t get to see otherwise.

I love books so much that I opened a bookstore in my hometown--the type of bookstore that I wish was there when I was growing up. Even in this wired age, I think there should a real place where youth can gather to hang out and talk about issues that they think no one will understand. There is a real need for a teenage book club--a club where it’s safe for teens to be who they are, to discuss a book, their love for reading, their excitement about stories, and not worry about being picked on, or ignored.

I believe reading as a teen leads to success, and so, we started a teen book club in Wellsboro. It’s modeled after the teen book club hosted by the Galeton Library, which we have supported for many years. Now that is being threatened. We were served an eviction notice by our landlord in October of 2012. He "front loaded" the eviction notice. He tried to intimidate us, but we decided to fight.

We won that fight, and in July of 2014, the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court decided in our favor, even calling the case "petty" in the decision. Now it's time to start paying the lawyer back. I prefer to sell books and not ask for money, but even raising $5,000 in book sales is tough, and our profit margins are tight, earning that takes even longer.

I'm asking for help. I've started a fundraiser, and many people have donated. Many I know, and many prefer to remain antonymous. I thank you all. If you can just donate a few dollars, it'd be appreciated. I'm looking to tap the power of the net. If you can't, I totally understand. We do donate regular to charities. Sometimes it's our time, or our knowledge, maybe a book or a small gift for that fundraising auction, and sometimes it's tight and we can't do everyone.

If you have to sit this one out, perhaps you can just pay it forward by sharing. That's OK too. We are more than a bookstore, and with your help, we can continue serving the community, one book at a time, one event at a time...

If you'd like to donate, or just share,Here's the link