Sort it Out: Oak Park Book Fair Looking for Volunteers

When Steve Kirshenbaum first moved to Oak Park, volunteering to sort books for the library’s annual book fair was one of the first things he did to become a part of the community.

“[My family] loves books, and it’s a great way to meet people,” Kirshenbaum said. “This year will be my nineteenth. The more people that come to help, the merrier.”

Now the president of the Friends of the Oak Park Public Library, Kirshenbaum said the goal is to raise between $30,000 and $40,000 for the organization at the 41st Annual Oak Park Book Fair.

The "Friends" use that money to fund special programs at the library, such as Young Adult Coffehouses, the summer reading program, author readings and film series.

“Anything we can do to get more people into the library,” Kirshenbaum said. “If a special event comes up that the library wants to do, but they don’t have the budget, the money will come from us.”

Books, as well as DVDs, computer games, CDs, records and videotapes, can be donated at the front entrance of throughout July. Donations are accepted at the library during all other months.

Volunteer sorting begins Tuesday and runs Monday through Friday, with sessions from 1-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. in the cafeteria of the high school, 201 N. Scoville Ave.

On Friday, Aug. 5, the book fair opens to the public from 6-10 p.m. Admission is $5. The sale continues on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with no admission charged that day.

Kirshenbaum said an additional $5 will be charged for electronic devices, such as those that scan barcodes on books and let you see their value online.

Debby Preiser, Oak Park Public Library community relations coordinator, said more than 100,000 books will be sorted into categories over the next month, including fiction, biographies, business, art, romance, cookbooks and children’s books.

“It’s incredible what comes in,” she said. “The volunteers get to see the variety of books that come in, they get the opportunity to pull out first editions, put some on the auction table and find signed editions.”

Preiser said some people wait all year for the book fair to roll around.

“Friday they’ll be lined up before opening,” she said. “Then they’re running for the books … people will run down the main hallway with their bags flying behind them. We call it ‘The Running of the Books.’”