Tucked inside Elizabethtown Public Library, 10 S. Market St., there's a treasure trove of treats to discover in etownbooks. The bookstore sells gently used books that have been donated to the library, along with locally made merchandise.

"We have a huge selection of children's books," said Janet Hench, treasurer of the Friends of Elizabethtown Public Library, who operate the store. "We have a large history area as well, with books about World War II and the Civil War, among others. We also get regular donations of beautiful coffee table books and travel books."

In the center of the store, tall white shelves display featured books on a specific topic that changes regularly. "When we get a donation from someone, and it includes books about a certain subject, like maybe a lot of books about baby care, we showcase them there," Hench explained.

In addition to books, the store sells items created by local artists and craftspeople. Doll clothes that fit 18-inch and 13-inch dolls, such as American Girl, Bitty Baby and WellieWishers dolls, are sold year-round, while other handcrafted items rotate on a two-month basis. Currently, potter Roxanne Dombrosky's work is for sale. "This is the first potter I've brought in, and she's from Elizabethtown," Hench remarked.

Artist Ingrid Spangler's collage creations are also for sale in the store. "She paints, but she also puts in pages of old books into her collages," Hench explained. "She also creates wreaths that are made from old book pages."

Other featured items might include jewelry or fabric pieces. "I try to change it up regularly, so there's always something new to see," Hench commented, noting that she frequents local craft shows to find vendors to highlight.

A portion of the proceeds from the non-book items benefits the library, along with 100% of sales from books in the store. The bookstore began more than 20 years ago during a capital campaign. To raise money for the library, a team used some vacant space in the area where the Elizabethtown Coffee Company is located today to set up a small store inside the library. Eventually, due in part to the success of the store, it relocated to its current, larger space opposite what is now the Coffee Company.

The bookstore is open during all library operating hours, and it is fully staffed by volunteers. "We also sell gift certificates, so if you have a family member who is a reader, but you're not sure what they like to read, that makes a great gift option," Hench said. She emphasized that the inventory is limited to what is donated to the library, but that the Friends keep a running wish list of requests. "If somebody is looking for a specific title, they can tell us and we'll call them if it happens to come in," she stated.

The Friends of the Elizabethtown Public Library are looking for volunteers. Interested people should stop by the front desk of the library and ask for an application.