How long have you been volunteering at the book store?

Since early November.

How did you get involved?

I was with somebody I had met last fall. We were both shopping for books, which we do a lot. She said that she did that, and I decided to apply.

What made you want to volunteer at the shop?

I look for books a lot, and I love used book stores. I had gone in there prior to that, before I talked to this girl. I had bought a few books there and had liked everything about it, plus it’s in downtown Niles, and I grew up in Niles. To have that caliber of a used book store in our little town very much appealed to me. I like the fact that we get a free book for every hour of volunteering.

What are some things you do while you volunteer at the store?

We all volunteer at the front counter, but everyone also has different areas they work in. Right after I began, I started working in the fiction room. I got the hard cover books sorted alphabetically by author. Now I’m working on the soft cover, which takes a long time when you are only working one afternoon a week.

What have you enjoyed most about volunteering there?

I like being around people, and working with people. Here, we work by ourselves, but we do have customers who come in. Working around books is very relaxing, too. The atmosphere makes you feel good.

Why do you feel like it is important to have this kind of bookstore in Niles?

Because everyone who works there is a volunteer, and the proceeds go to activities for downtown Niles, so the money stays local. To me, that’s a big plus. The more activities we have to bring people out, the better.

Is there anything you would say to encourage people to stop into the bookstore, and possibly volunteer there?

Being a volunteer is rewarding. The more volunteers we have, the more hours we can be open. We would like to be open seven days a week, though right now we are open five. Ever since I started doing this, I look forward to my shift. It’s enjoyable. I just like being out and participating.

As far as people coming in, we have an incredible variety. We have a fiction room, a nonfiction room and a children’s room. In the hall, we have a large area of cookbooks, gardening books, business books, self-help books, gardening books. There is a large variety. We have some old, unusual books. It’s just a very relaxing, enjoyable place to be.