Special Book Donation Drive March 14th - FOL is having a book donation drive Saturday March 14th. Please consider donating your gently used books, DVDS, CDs, puzzles and adult coloring books. We will have help to unload your vehicles. 9:30-12:30! Keep in mind you can donate books anytime the library is open. There is a cart outside at the main doors and also a drop box inside the library!
Childreds Easter Books!
Come stock up on Easter books for those Easter baskets! Also we have added more classic Sci-fy to the cart.
Newer book price increases - 2025 and 2026 hardbacks are now $7 and paperbacks are $4
New - 2026 Annual FOL Membership Application 2026 FOL Membership Form Membership forms with payment may be mailed to "Friends of the Library, 130 N. Franklin St., Decatur, IL 62523" or brought into our Books & Beyond bookstore during business hours as listed in the letter.
FOL Phone Number - We do have an extension number you can use to notify us. Call the library at 217-424-2900 ex 6133. Leave a message and someone will return your call as soon as possible.
Book Donations and Dropoffs - Reminder: we are still accepting donations of used books. There is a cart located outside the main library entrance where donations can be left. All genres are needed. This is one of our main routes of fundraising. Thank you again for supporting your community by supporting Friends of the Library!
Please join us on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 12:15 in the Decatur Public Library's Madden Auditorium for Books Between Bites.
Topic - Anastasia Lindsey will be presenting her poetry journey and also introducing a new framework that she has created!!
Presenter - Anastasia Lindsey
About the Presentation - Anastasia Lindsey will be presenting her poetry journey. Anastasia Lindsey is a bestselling, award-winning author and poet whose work ignites passion, transformation, healing, and raw emotion. She has published two poetry collections and has been featured in numerous anthologies and magazines, with recognition from Kirkus Reviews, Midwest Book Reviews, Independent Book Review, and BookView Review.
About the Author - A three-time Readers’ Choice Award winner and recipient of the Literary Titan Gold Book Award, Anastasia crafts verses that explore themes of healing, love, and self-discovery—writing to connect humanity, one poem at a time. She leads sold-out poetry workshops both online and in person, empowering others to find their voice through verse. As a three-time Poetry Out Loud judge for the Decatur, Illinois competition and the scorekeeper’s assistant for the Springfield, Illinois competition, she remains deeply involved in cultivating a love for poetry in her community. A proud member of Decatur Area Poets, Anastasia is the 2025 recipient of the Horace Livingston Writer’s Award, a 2025 Global Book Award Winner, and a shortlisted winner of the 2026 Central Ave Poetry Prize.
Anastasia’s next poetry book, Saltwater Psalms, is scheduled for release in early 2026!
Books Between Bites is a free program at the Decatur Public Library, sponsored by Friends of the Decatur Public Library
A recent picture of some of our new books.
FOL booksales are at the library 3 to 4 days a week at the new Friends area on the lower level of the library. Open every Monday from 10:30am - 2:30pm, Tuesdays from 10:30am - 2:30pm, Thursdays from 3pm - 6:30pm. And second and fourth Saturdays sales are from 9:30am - 12:30pm.