The Friends of the Emporia Public Library are hoping for another record-setting book sale this spring.
According to Sue Blechl, director of the library, the book sales last spring and fall together raised about $20,000 to help pay for various library programs, continuing a trend of bigger and bigger sales.
This spring’s sale will run from April 17 to 22, with a special preview night on April 16 for Friends of the Library members.
Proceeds of the sales go to Friends of the Library and ultimately to support the library’s services and its collections. Some key beneficiaries of the sales include the library’s Brown Bag Concert Series each summer, its summer reading program for children and teens and its movie license so the library can screen feature films.
The sale combines books donated from the public and discards from the library collection.
“Because our space is finite, we do have to remove books from the collection regularly,” Blechl said.
Blechl said many books sold are donated back to the library a year or two later.
“We can tell from the markings on them that they’ve been through the sale,” she said. “That’s a wonderful recycling element, and we want to keep books in peoples’ hands while the books are in good condition and have some use. The more they can be recycled through, the more it helps the library and the public.”
For the upcoming spring sale, Blechl asks that all donations be taken to the library by April 10 to give volunteers time to price and categorize them. To donate books, take them to the back door on the north side of the building, where there are carts to help with unloading.
Blechl said volunteers, including Scout members, will hold a book-moving event on April 15, where they will form a box brigade to move approximately 20,000 books from the library’s basement.
Blechl doesn’t know if the economy will affect the spring sale.
“I’m not quite sure,” she said. “I think it might help the sale because more people will be shopping for bargains.”
At a glance
WHAT:
Friends of the Emporia Public Library Spring Book Sale
WHERE:
Emporia Public Library
WHEN:
April 17-22, library business hours
WHY:
To raise money to support projects like concerts and children’s programs
TO DONATE:
Take used books to the back door on the north side of the library.