The pictures on the previous page were from the main room. An adjoining area/room holds the "Collector Choice", it's still a large spot, probably about 25% of the main room. The books in this room are a little newer and have slightly higher prices. This is where we found most of our books and why we ONLY got 53 books for $109.
In the back of the room is a small section with antique books and a silent auction area. For folks "in the know" it's the first stop in the sale as they make their way to the back of the room to see what jewels are for sale or auction. These tables and shelves empty quickly, as the old books are lovingly looked at and then usually put into a waiting cart or box.
One of the original volunteers, Bobbie Brown gave me a little history lesson on the book sale. She told how the first year was three categories, fiction, nonfiction and childrens. They would stamp the books with a huge discard stamp as they tried to decide what pile each book needed to be put in. There were rows of books on shelves, boxes stacked to the ceiling and books all over the library basement. That first year the sale was held at three libraries and wound up coinciding with Casady's (private school) book sale. They were delighted to make $6,000. on the sale.
Two years later the sale had grown so large they needed to move the book sale to a rented building at the fair grounds. That first year at the fairgrounds was so popular it even brought out the Fire Marshall. There were too many people in the building to move and he had to close the doors until people started leaving and making room! Well, the rest is history. They've outgrown the original area that was rented and in the mid 1990s they've rented the an entire building at the fairgrounds. Having a book sale is not for the timid or unadventurous. They've endured floods, snakes and leaking roofs. But each year the sale grows larger and more money is made for the library.
This wonderful community project now draws over 800 volunteers a year that have become a family. Their mission is get the books into the hands of the people and still make some money for the library! Folks come from across the country to shop at both this sale and the one still held the same weekend at Casady School. If you are a book lover, mark your calendar for the last (full) weekend of February. It will be well worth it!
