The Iowa City Public Library is hosting its first Halloween Costume Exchange on Friday

Tired of buying a new Halloween costume for your child every year, then stuffing it in the back of a closet after it’s been worn only once? The Iowa City Public Library has a solution for you.

On Friday, ICPL will host its first Halloween Costume Exchange from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

“We’re looking to help families and children create a costume without spending a lot of money,” said Anne Wilmoth, the ICPL children’s librarian who took the lead in organizing the exchange. “Often, we buy a lot of stuff that kids wear just on one day of the year, and then it just kind of sits around your house after that… If we could all collect it in one area for people to come together and exchange… it would reduce the waste and money that people have to spend.”

ICPL is asking for donations of gently-used costumes and accessories, and will be accepting them until noon on Friday. All donations will be heat-treated before the exchange starts.

It isn’t necessary to donate a costume to take part in the exchange, and Wilmoth said ICPL hopes as many children as possible will participate. Kids of all ages will be welcome to search for the costume that suits them best, but there will be a limit of one costume per child.

“It is a good community building event and a good resource,” Wilmoth said. “It’s just another way that the library meets community needs beyond books or computers. We seek to respond to other community needs beyond what you might expect from a library.”

More information about the event can be found on the library’s website, or by calling ICPL can be the library at 319-356-5200.