friends bookstore

I really enjoy visiting Friends Bookstore, which is located on the property of the Cumberland Monastery. If you haven't been to this store yet, you owe it to yourself to check it out, especially if you or someone in your family is an avid reader. Enter the monastery, and then follow the drive around almost in a complete loop until you get to the "old" entrance of the library, at the Hayden Center. (This bookstore is NOT in the newer entrance to the Cumberland Public Library, but instead it has its own entrance).All books are priced no more than $1. Many children's books are 50 cents. They are in gentle-used to like-new condition. You never know what you may find in here, but the best part is that all of the books are organized and shelved alphabetically by author, woo hoo! Don't you hate when you go into a second-hand store to look for a book and it's so disorganized? Well, fear not, there's mass organization here!I visited this store this past Saturday and was amazed that there were about five very-willing ladies who would mill about the store telling patrons, "Let me know if you're not finding what you're looking for, we have thousands more books upstairs and I'll be glad to help go up there to help you find what you need." I was in the store for about 15 or 20 minutes, and I heard these ladies -- who are volunteers -- say this over and over again.I called on the help of one of the volunteers to help me locate books by a certain author because I couldn't find any on the shelves. Sure enough, she retreated to her overflow area upstairs (where only the workers can go), and brought me back a book by the author I was interested in.There are non-fiction, fiction, classics, cookbooks, etc. all shelved by like-genres. There is also a children's area that has books for young children, elementary and more junior-level reading. A father sat with his child and read aloud for much of the time I was in the store.If you're intersted in books, make visiting this bookstore part of your routine. It definitely beats ordering one online and having to pay for shipping. I bought one book (paperback) that had orginally sold for $16 and another book (hardcover) that had originally sold for $27, for a total of $2, plus tax.Also, the store takes donations as long as they're in good shape. So, if you have a stack of books, DVDs and CDs doing nothing in your house, donate them here. I have in the past. The money goes to support programs at the wonderful Cumberland Public Library next door, I do believe.While you're here, visit the Ruth E. Carpenter Memorial Garden. It is right next to the entrance of the bookstore, tucked away behind tall bushes. Have a seat there and relax with your new book! Take a stroll on the 1 mile+ beautiful walking path around the perimeter of the monastery property or walk around the immediate grounds. Or, bring your kids to the playground at the entrance.This whole property is a gem, and this bookstore makes it all the more so. Keep up the great work for our community, ladies!Note the hours of operation on the sign in the picture I uploaded, as they are definitely not opened everyday.