The Friends of the Library are happy to be back hosting their annual used book sale this year. The sale has been held on the last Saturday in May for close to 20 years.
The Friends of the Fort Frances Public Library is a group of volunteers who support the library by fundraising to help with programming expenses and for special projects at the library.
Laurel Halvorsen, President of the Friends of the Library committee says that the end of May has been a good date for the sale as it aligns with people preparing to get their cabins ready for the summer season.
“A lot of people come because it’s summertime and they can get their reading for their cabins,” Halvorsen said.
CEO of the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre Joan MacLean has never actually been a part of one of the sales before. MacLean started work at the library shortly before the pandemic hit and the sale has not happened since.
“I’ve never actually experienced the book sale because I got here in October and then COVID hit in March,” MacLean said. “So we missed my first book sale, then the second, and finally this year we’re having it. So I’ve never actually experienced it but I am looking forward to it.”
The library has a pretty big contribution to the sale this year as well. During COVID, staff at the library took the opportunity to pull some books out of the shelves that haven’t been read in a while.
“We did take advantage of being closed and did — what we call in the library business — ‘a weeding,’” MacLean said. “We weeded the collection, taking out anything that hasn’t circulated in the last five years and we have them boxed up and ready to be put on tables and hopefully sold.”
The sale will fill the library with tables, MacLean says.
“I thought it was just in the Shaw Room,” MacLean said. “But the books take over the entire library. There’s books everywhere which is really exciting. It’s a really big sale.”
People with books, CDs, or DVDs they would like to donate can drop them off at the Library starting on Tuesday next week. The materials should be in good condition, not beat up. They also do not want text books or encyclopedias or other books that may have out-of-date information.
The sale starts at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 28 and people are encouraged to show up as soon as they can to get the best selection.
As the Friends of the Library is a charity, all of the books will be sold by donation with no fixed prices. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own bags if they expect to be buying a lot of books. The books will stay laid out in the library for the following week as well if people want to look but can’t make it to the sale on Saturday.
