Book sale boosts library attendance
After getting rid of a few thousand books during an impromptu sale in August, the Friends of the Library returned to the Butler Area Public Library’s basement Thursday, Nov. 2, for another book sale featuring thousands of books.
The book sale takes place through Saturday, Nov. 4, and all proceeds raised over the course of the three days is given to the Butler Area Public Library, according to Maggie Souzer, president of the Friends of the Library.
Thousands of books are stacked in cardboard boxes spread over dozens of shelves and tables, so you never know what you will find, according to members of the friends group.
“Everybody has their own thing that they are looking for,” said David Pinson, a member of the Friends of the Library. “Some it’s a specific author, some it’s a genre of books.”
The sale, which continues from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., also includes DVDs, puzzles, and board games. Items available at the sale range in price from 50 cents to a few dollars, and on Saturday attendees can fill a bag for $5.
The Friends of the Library have two scheduled sales a year — one in the spring and one in the fall — and the organization added one in August because it had so many books on hand.
For Kathy Nocera, the more book sales, the better, because she reads two to three books a week, and always needs new reading material.
“Every time they have one, I come,” said Nocera, of Butler. “I probably take home six or seven every time.”
The Friends of the Library always accepts book donations, and many books purchased end up back on the shelves at the next sale, Souzer said. She also said hundreds of people attend each sale, helping the group raise about $1,500 for the Butler library every year.
Children’s books are always popular at the sales, as are history books, cookbooks, puzzles and, at this fall sale, Amish mysteries have been flying off the shelves, according to Souzer.
“Puzzles are getting very popular these days,” Souzer said.
Barb Czzowitz, a member of the Friends of the Library, said she also finds a lot of good reading material at each sale, which is a blessing and a curse to any book lover.
“We take home more than we can read,” Czzowitz said.
For more information on the sale, visit the Butler Area Public Library’s website www.butlerlibrary.info.
