ANDOVER — A piece of the Andover Public Library’s history could soon have a new home.
The Friends of the Andover Public Library is raffling the library’s old card catalog, a longtime fixture that once helped patrons find books the old-fashioned way.
The vintage catalog, complete with its collection of library cards, is currently on display near the library entrance. Raffle tickets are $5 each and are available at the circulation desk.
The drawing will be held Dec. 18.
Amy Thomas, director of the Andover Public Library, said parting with the card catalog was not an easy decision.
“It’s lovely — it’s an artifact of the library,” Thomas said.
But in a small library, space comes at a premium.
“We’re small and every square foot matters,” Thomas said.
The card catalog has been part of the library for years, giving it sentimental value well beyond any practical use.
“We’ve enjoyed it and it’s nostalgic — it’s part of the story of the library,” Thomas said.
The decision to raffle it was therefore a difficult one, but the Friends of the Library hope the fundraiser will allow the artifact to continue benefiting the community in another way.
All proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Friends of the Andover Public Library and help support library programming for children, tweens, teens and adults.
For patrons who remember when libraries relied on rows of wooden drawers and paper cards rather than computerized catalogs, the raffle offers a chance to take home a tangible piece of that era.
For the library, the fundraiser provides an opportunity to turn a piece of its past into support for its future.
Tickets are available at the circulation desk at the Andover Public Library. The card catalog will remain on display at the library entrance through the raffle.
