My name is Lindsay, and I am a bookaholic. My obsession with books began the moment I first learned how to read, and became such a huge part of my life and identity that on my 16th birthday I received from every one of my friends either a book or a gift card to Schuler Books (my favorite bookstore at the time). To try to curb my obsession, as of a few years ago I no longer allow myself to buy books brand new or at full price. But what that means is I am now incapable of walking by a bargain books bin without rifling through it, or walking out of a thrift store without examining their shelf of used books. It goes without saying, then, that library book sales are one of my absolute favorite things.

Did you know that the library’s Fall Book Sale is happening now? Today (Friday, October 28) the sale is open to the public from 10am-6pm, and tomorrow (Saturday, October 29) the sale will run from 10am-12pm. Here are four reasons why you and I should definitely shop the library’s Fall Book Sale:

Hidden Treasures

At the beginning of my final year of undergraduate studies I began research for my 30-page Senior Thesis: a comparison of Jane Austen’s six major novels and their film adaptations. At the time I didn’t own any of her books, and as I was a dirt poor college student, had grudgingly planned to for the next year check out, return, and check out again all six books from the university’s library, and continue this cycle of checking out and returning until my thesis was completed. To say I was dreading this cycle would be an understatement. To my absolute joy, however, I happened to stop by the public library two days later, and stumbled upon a six-in-one unabridged edition of Austen’s novels in the library’s ongoing book sale. I purchased this book for 50 cents. This story highlights one of my favorite aspects of library book sale shopping: the thrill of the hunt. You never know what treasures you may find, and in our sale, with hundreds of books to choose from, chances are you’ll find at least one treasure.

Holiday Shopping

A book sale may not be the first place you’d think to look for holiday gifts, but in the past I’ve had great luck; one year for Christmas I gifted each of my five nieces and nephews with two picture books each, ones I knew would be instant favorites. Another year I found my sister’s favorite picture book from childhood, one she had long since lost. It never hurts to shop early, so when you browse our book sale, make sure to keep the holidays in mind.

Save Money

Are you a bargain shopper? Do you live for Black Friday sales? I can guarantee that our prices will beat even the best after-Thanksgiving discounts and specials. In fact, tomorrow (Saturday) you are welcome to stop by the sale from 10am-12pm, fill a bag, and leave a donation of any size. There’s absolutely no way you will find a better deal on used books, DVDs, CDs and magazines than our sale.

Support the Library

Did you know that the money earned from our book sales fund many of the library’s freely offered programming? As we eye our tightening budget and actively look for ways to make every penny count, every cent we make through our book sale becomes increasingly important. These dollars and cents add up to fund vital library programs, such as our all-ages Summer Reading Program, one of the most important things we offer to our community.

Whether you love books, movies, music, magazines, or just an excuse to visit the library, do us and yourself a big favor: stop by our book sale to shop, save, and support your library.