After years of commuting to out-of-town libraries and purchasing
books, a local teen-ager decided to do something about the
resources offered at the San Benito County Free Library.
Stephanie Klindt, 15, said she just got tired of traveling.
After years of commuting to out-of-town libraries and purchasing books, a local teen-ager decided to do something about the resources offered at the San Benito County Free Library.
Stephanie Klindt, 15, said she just got tired of traveling.
“The books I am trying to get for our library are SAT classics and some are required reading for classes in high school,” Klindt said. “I go to Monte Vista, so I’m not allowed to borrow books from San Benito High, and they don’t have most of them at the local library.”
Stephanie’s mother, Cindy, responded to her daughter’s frustration by telling her to take action. Klindt took the words to heart and started a summer book fund to help raise money for the local library so it can buy SAT classics.
Cindy described her daughter as a “go-getter” who doesn’t like to sit on the sidelines and complain but rather get into the action and make a difference.
“This is obvious when you look at her transcripts,” Cindy said.
Klindt held down a 4.33 grade-point average throughout her freshman year, played junior varsity softball and varsity tennis, sang in Advanced Choir, was a contestant in the American Coed Scholarship Pageant, took two advanced classes and participated in community service events, all while maintaining a social life. Klindt hopes to attend Stanford.
In early May, Klindt attended a “Friends of the Library” meeting to present her idea. The group, which was founded in February 1980, has the same mission as it did 23 years ago: To serve as a valuable development resource and to advocate for the library.
Organization members were so impressed that they offered to move their meetings to a time after school so that Klindt could join. Klindt, however, declined.
Klindt, however, submitted a list of 278 books that she hoped to obtain by the end of the summer. After searching the archives and data base, Klindt met with head librarian Jo Wahdan and reduced the list to 104, which includes classics the library doesn’t have or has only one copy.
“We had some of the books, but over the years, they’ve been damaged, lost or stolen,” Wahdan said.
Some of the books include “The Great Gatsby,” “The Jungle,” “Night,” “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “The Color Purple.”
The reason that many classics are not in the library, Wahdan said, is because the state budgetary crisis reduced the county’s book fund. This year’s book budget was reduced 22 percent by the state.
Wahdan also said the library relies on support from businesses and organizations such as “The Friends of the Library.”
For nearly three months, Klindt attended meetings and finally submitted a rough draft of a flyer that will be delivered to local businesses, churches and residents during the next couple weeks.
Klindt’s SBC Summer Book Fund goal is $2,000 and all donations are tax deductible.
If you would like more information about the SBC Summer Book Fund or The Friends of the Library, contact Jo Wahdan at 636-4107.
