End of the Line Bookstore Opens for 2019 Season

The End of the Line Bookstore is open May 17 for the 2019 season.  End of the Line Books is a not for profit, used bookstore located in the boxcar at the B&O Railway Station East Liberty Street in Oakland, MD.  The bookstore is open May 17 through October 12th on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 AM – 3 PM.

Featuring a full range of novels including current and past current fiction, classics, science fiction, mysteries and romance, End of the Line Books features something for everyone.  Non-fiction books available include history, current events, economics, sports, nature, religion, psychology and self-help books as well as books on home repair, gardening, cooking and more. Children will love the great selection of chapter books, picture books, ones for beginning readers and books to help homeschooling families.

You’ll also find a nice selection of reference books and some large print books.  Depending on donations, the bookstore will occasionally feature audio books, CD’s, videos, DVD’s, puzzles and games.  No book costs more than $1.00 and many are less.

The bookstore was started as a way to solve the problem of too little space for book donations to be sold at the local library.  Originated by Marilyn Moors, then president of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and Elizabeth Huxford of the local Girl Scouts, along with former Oakland Mayor Asa McCain,  End of the Line Books has been recycling books and offering them for re-sale since 2004.

Proceeds from the bookstore go to two organizations.  The sales and monetary donations at End of the Line for the past 14 years have surpassed $56,000, and $46,979 has been donated to local organizations as a result.

Girl Scout Troop 55004 serves girls from Brownies through Seniors from six schools throughout Garrett County.   In an effort to serve the community, they have donated thousands of boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to local charities and soldiers overseas.  Through their accomplishments they have achieved the highest award a Girl Scout can receive, the Gold Award.  Donations from End of the Line books help fund their activities and service projects.

The Garrett branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is the second recipient of funds from the bookstore.  Locally, AAUW provides over $3,000 in scholarships to area women each year which can be used to purchase textbooks, pay toward tuition and more   AAUW is also the sponsoring organization for Girls Empowerment Middle School (GEMS) Project.  “GEMS is now in its third full year.  It is a mentoring program for middle school girls, specifically 7th graders, which we all remember as being a difficult time in our lives,” stated Linda Carr, Vice-President of AAUW and Mentoring Chairperson.  The program pairs local women with middle school girls who may need a supportive woman role model in their lives.  “We’ve had a wonderful response from guidance counselors and teachers, and we’re getting a good response from the community in terms of volunteer mentors, and we hope to continue growing the program into the 2019 – 2020 school year,” said Carr.

AAUW Garrett Branch is also the sponsor for the newly formed Garrett College student branch of AAUW.  Donations from the bookstore have sent 8 students from Garrett College and Frostburg State University to The National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL), the nation’s premier conference for college women, held each spring in College Park, MD.

If you’re looking for a good book to lose yourself in this summer, stop by End of the Line Books soon.  Your purchase not only helps to recycle, every penny you spend goes to a good cause.  For more information, to volunteer or to donate used books (children’s books especially needed!), contact Linda Carr at lindacarr7125@gmail.com.