ST. JOHNSBURY - It's the season of giving, and the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum has an opportunity to help out children.

Hanging from a small Christmas tree in the children's room of the athenaeum, are star ornaments with pictures of books on them and the price of the book.  What the athenaeum is asking of people is to pick a star, and donate a book.

Librarian Robert Joly says  "The money we would have spent on those books we'll spend on other books."  This could in turn account for twice as many books if there had there been no donations.

Children will be able to take out any of the books at the library once they are donated.  The strength and size of the library's collection will all depend of how many donations are made.

"You're supporting the library," said Joly.  You're building our collection, so not only can the child who it's named for can read the book, other people can read the book."

Books such as Dr. Suess' most recent book, The Bippolo Seed

The Library will dedicate each book that is purchased to the person who bought the book for the library.

Anyone can pick up a book at the athenaeum and can range in price from seven to fifteen dollars.

The books will be available to buy all the way through the holiday season.