Malaprop's Bookstore has served the AVL community for decades, as a local, independent bookstore promoting community involvement, literacy, small-business networking, poets, novelists, researchers, artists, the proliferation of banned books, & the underserved & marginalized. Hurricane Helene took a toll on our ability to operate, & while we are grateful all our employees are accounted for, & our structure is sound, we still need help from the community in recovery for our ability to operate & recoup even a small amount of lost revenue. Despite our setbacks, we continue to work in the community to provide mutual aid & relief during these difficult moments. Independent bookstores struggle in this economy, & the fierce competition from online retailers, as well as attempts to stifle the publication & proliferation of critical banned texts. Thank you, AVL for decades of love. We hope to be here for many more.