When a Girl Scout came to his door last week looking to replenish Churchland Elementary School’s library after a busted pipe left it flooded, the Book Owl gave a hoot.

Nelson Velez, owner of the independent used bookstore in Western Branch, gave the girls about 50 books he had set aside to donate to the Children’s Museum of Virginia.

“I really wanted to help these girls … and the school,” said Velez, adding that he hopes to give more books to the school. “I think it’s important to foster a love of reading in children.”

The Book Owl, located at 5772 Churchland Blvd. at Churchland Shopping Center, sells new and used books. Shoppers can trade in used books for store credit or buy books at discounted costs, Velez said.

Velez donates about 300 books annually to the Children’s Museum for REACH, which is an acronym for Reading Enriches All Children. The Book Owl is one of more than a dozen sources that gives books to the REACH program, said Al Schweizer, the museum’s site manager

Thanks to REACH, every child that visits the museum gets to pick out a free book to take home, Schweizer said.

Right now, his stash of children’s books is down to bare bones, Velez said.

Until he builds up a new stockpile of children’s titles, Velez says he doesn’t have any more books to donate to the school, museum or Friends of the Library in Portsmouth.

“We’ve finally run out of children’s books,” Velez said.

If anyone doing spring cleaning wants to get rid of gently used children’s books, the Book Owl will make sure they are all donated to good homes, he said.

Velez, a former psychologist with the court system in Virginia Beach, was looking for a major career change 10 years ago. Although he had never been interested in opening his own business, a friend who owns a Norfolk bookstore encouraged him to pursue the idea.

“I think the obituaries for bookstores were a little premature or I would have been gone a long time ago,” Velez said. “A lot of bookstores have gone out of business … but I have maintained a steady trickle of customers.

“Even with today’s technology, I think we will see a renaissance of bookstores in the next few years.”

Reading real books — as opposed to e-books — is important for children’s healthy brain development, Velez added.

“It’s my belief — and there are studies that have backed this up — that children need the stimulation of reading,” Velez said.  “It forces them to turn off their devices and quiets their minds.”

Anyone who wants information about donating books can call 638-7323.