Bookfest returns to farm show grounds
Readers and book collectors soon will have a chance to browse books to their hearts’ delight. The Butler County Bookfest is back at the Farm Show grounds this week.
The gigantic used book sale will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The event is at the Butler Farm Show exhibit hall, 625 Evans City Road, in Connoquenessing Township.
The books and other items come from Mr. Bookman, an online used book business with a brick-and-mortar store in Franklin owned by Christy and Ben Wilkinson.
Although Mr. Bookman doesn't buy from individuals, the business picks up its inventory anywhere and everywhere.
Part of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the Mars, Prospect, Slippery Rock and South Butler Community public libraries.
Participating libraries will receive a share from Mr. Bookman based on the number of volunteer hours they work.
Michelle Lesniak, director of the South Butler Community Library in Saxonburg, said the library is still looking for volunteers to unload the books, vinyl records, audiobooks, VHS tapes, CDs, DVDs and other items that make up the sale, as well as restock the tables and tally shoppers' selections during the sale itself. Volunteers will be needed to pack up the remainders and clean up the site when the sale is over.
Shari Hunt, director of the Prospect Community Library, said, “I think, for the sale, anybody can come and help. We are accepting volunteers.”
Lesniak said last year the four libraries split $4,000 between them. “Each library uses the money for their own thing; we used the money to fund our summer programs,” she said.
The Prospect library, Hunt said, gets money from Prospect and Portersville boroughs, Franklin and Muddy Creek townships, the county and the state. But the sale money is very welcome.
“Our biggest need is money to continue to stay open,” she said. “We use it for our general operating fund.”
Ben Wilkinson said Mr. Bookman will bring two semitrailer loads totaling 150,000 items — including non-media items such as games and puzzles.
Prices will start off as marked on Thursday, become 25% off on Friday and 50% off on Saturday; then on Sunday they will be sold at $15 per bag.
“The trick is to process, sort and organize,” Wilkinson said. “It’s just as easy to work a 20,000-item sale as it is a 150,000-item sale.”
Hunt did not consider the “work“ the libraries did to help put on Bookfest in the spring to be work at all.
“I was able to talk to fellow book lovers. It was a great time,” she said.
To volunteer, call the South Butler Community Library at 724-352-4810 or the Prospect Community Library at 724-865-9718.
