Behind the Scenes at Our Book Sales
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” — Stephen King
Hello Friends—
Book sales are one of the Friends most well-known and best attended activities. Our final sale of the season is coming up on March 7.
Throughout the year, books are carefully sorted by our amazing volunteers. The moldy, mildewed or moth-eaten are discarded. Those outside our copyright window are donated when possible. Books in excellent condition with copyright dates two years or less are set aside as “Specials,” featured at our sales and available in the library whenever it is open. Particularly valuable books are listed in our eBay store. The rest are organized by category and stored in the library book room. Information about how to donate and what we accept is here.
On sale day, volunteers begin arriving at 8:30 a.m. to set up tables and move books into the Palm Garden—often forming a bucket line to speed things along. Nancy Seidel, chair of our Volunteer Committee, emphasizes the fun and camaraderie that make these events so special. Reliable regulars and newcomers work and laugh together.
Members of the Friends are admitted to the sale at 9:30 a.m., and the public at 10:00. Volunteers work as cashiers, help shoppers find books, tidy, and keep everything running smoothly until the sale ends at 1:00. A mostly different group then helps pack everything away. In all, it takes about 30 volunteers to run the book sale. A contact form to volunteer for next season’s sales is here.
Demaris Edwards, our Book Sale Chair, then tallies the proceeds, which are an important part of our revenue and allow us to maximize our annual support for the library.
Our book sales bring together a wonderful cross-section of our community—collectors, bargain-hunters, parents, kids, people searching for a special gift, and those simply looking for a good read. Sale days are busy, rewarding, and genuinely joyful.
As for the library, it is flying! Be sure to read Senior Branch Manager Kim Rinaldi’s column at the bottom of this newsletter to learn about some exciting new resources.
I hope we see you at our book sale on March 7!
With warmest wishes,
Barbara Ross