Burke Memorial Library is known for its late hours of operation for students’ benefits, which allows students to use it as a quiet place to study or do homework during the night. However, on Thursdays and Saturdays, students aren’t the only people that can be found in the library. Volunteers from the community join together in the basement of Burke to run the Book Nook.

The Book Nook is a used-book store that has been on Spring Hill College’s campus for around twenty-five years now. It started in Stewartfield before it was moved to the basement of Burke Memorial Library. “I’ve been volunteering for the Book Nook for about fifteen or twenty years.” Francis Hallet, a volunteer for the Book Nook said. She works in the library but volunteers in the Book Nook when she is needed. Francis also said that her favorite part of volunteering is meeting the people and seeing what books they are interested in.

A variety of books are available to the students and community at the Book Nook. Francis said that some of the books could be great, affordable Christmas presents, with prices as low as a dollar. “Students could, also, find some of their books that they have to read [for] class.” Some of those books are based around philosophy, poetry and by famous authors such as William Shakespeare.

There is also a free book stand just outside of the Book Nook as well, where anyone is able to come by and take a book. Ann Marfice, another volunteer in the Book Nook of around fifteen years, said that the books for the free book stand are, usually, chosen from books that the Book Nook has multiple copies of. They take books they would typically sell and give them away. Ann also said that they have a large number of great classics.

All books that are sold in the Book Nook are donated by members of the community. This is how it has been run for the entirety of its existence. The Book Nook has a few student volunteers that give their time to keep this unique resource on Spring Hill’s campus alive. However, the Book Nook can always use more help.

If you are interested in being a volunteer in the Book Nook, stop by during their open hours, on Thursdays from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. or on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Francis Hallet said, “We would love to have them.”