In times of economic downturn, institutions that largely rely on public funding such as libraries are some of the first to feel the pinch. The Florence County Library System is not immune to these forces. State funding pays for almost the entirety of our book budget and we have already had a 70% decrease in funding. Fortunately, we have our various Friends of the Library groups that help out immensely. To that end, we have set up Amazon.com wish lists through the various Friends groups for each library branch. If you have some money to spare, please consider buying a item or two or more from the list for your local branch. All items purchased will be added to the library’s collection and your help will be greatly appreciated. Only through efforts such as yours can the library continue to serve its function to educate and serve the needs of our communities.

Friends of the Florence County Library Wish List

Friends of the Johnsonville Library Wish List

Friends of the Lake City Library Wish List

Friends of the Olanta Library Wish List

Friends of the Pamplico Library Wish List

Friends of the Timmonsville Library Wish List

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Q: How exactly does this work?
A: You buy one or more items from the Amazon.com wish lists by clicking on “add to cart” or “see all buying options.” You then pay for the items and Amazon will automatically ship them to the library from which list you bought from.

Q: What does “See all buying options” on the button mean?
A: Sometimes items the library wants are out of stock or not available any longer. Clicking this button will give you a list of secondhand booksellers who sell through Amazon. You can pick one from the list and Amazon will handle the transaction for you and ship the item to us. If you choose this option, please only purchase books marked as “New” or “Used – Like New” for condition. Items bought in lesser conditions may be unsuitable for adding to our collections.

Q: What does “Pre-order this item” on the button mean?
A: It is a item that has not been published yet. It is also items that the library wants. Buying a item this way just means that Amazon will not ship the book (or charge you for it) until it is available. You will typically see this for bestsellers that are coming out that we really need copies of.

Q: I’m afraid to order anything on the internet.
A: You needn’t be. Amazon.com has been in business for almost twenty years now and their service and security is impeccable. Buying items from Amazon is far safer than physically handing your card to a store clerk or restaurant wait staff.

Q: How much will I pay for shipping?
A: If you order more than $25, you will get free shipping. Just make sure that you select “Super Saver Shipping” as a option when checking out. If you buy a item from a secondhand seller through Amazon, which in most cases does not qualify for free shipping, you will typically pay $3.99 shipping per item.