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Are books important? Can they educate, inspire, soothe, relax, and stimulate our imaginations? I think they're important, so do you, and now we have a chance to prove it.

Taunton State Hospital is trying to build a library of books for its adolescent residents.

Sometimes there are up to two dozen such patients living there. Some are there 30 days, some stay as long as a year. The average stay is eight months. All are diagnosed with mental illness.

`` We want to be able to offer them books that they can read, that their parents and family maybe can read to them when they visit, books that they can discuss together,'' says Sandy Epstein, director of community resources at Taunton State.

Filling a bookcase with books for adolescents is one of many Day of Caring projects of the United Way of Greater Attleboro-Taunton. Many of the projects are to build something, to fix something, to expand something.

To me, this book project fits those specifications. Let's tackle it.

If you have new or used adolescent books in good condition, you can drop them off or send them to Taunton State Hospital, 60 Hodges Ave. Extension, Taunton, 02780, or drop them off or send them to The Sun Chronicle, 34 South Main St., Attleboro 02703.

I've started going through my book shelves and hope to be giving them a Harry Potter book, S.E. Hinton's `` The Outsiders'' and a copy of `` The Joy Luck Club.''

Sandy has put together a list of suggested books. Send me a memo and I'll e-mail it to you. I'm sure getting more than one of the same book is OK with everyone.

I've talked to my granddaughters and they're getting some books together, too.

Let's fill that bookcase.

Feedback

Your `Throwing in your line '85' column last week generated an idea for a section of the next exhibit which opens Nov. 4 at the Women at Work Museum,'' writes Katherine Honey, director of the museum in Attleboro.

`` The next exhibit will include a section on `Seniors at Play,' specifically those in their 90s, 80s and 70s involved with Senior Olympics across the United States. `` Perhaps I should feature children at play in the 20th and 21st centuries in an effort to highlight the importance of play at all ages,'' she adds.

Thanks for the papers

Speaking of seniors at play '85

`` Just back from four days of a unique basketball camp held on the campus of Southern Maine Community College and am dropping off a copy of the Portland Press Herald,'' writes Sheila McKenna.

`` This camp was for senior women. There were 53 players, ranging in age from, 50 to 70, representing 11 states.

`` My Connecticut High Five teammates and I joined with two women from North Carolina and one from Illinois to compile a 7-1 record, winning our division,'' she writes.

`` The camp staff was comprised of Maine high school and college coaches. One of the coaches was Michele Napier Whitmore, who played for Coyle-Cassidy and Wheaton College.

`` The entire staff was impressed with the enthusiasm, energy and skill level of these senior players.''

See you next week.

ORESTE P. D'ARCONTE is publisher of The Sun Chronicle. Reach him at darconte(at)(at) thesunchronicle.com or at 508.236.0394.