Annual Johnston Lions Club Book Sale Full of Treasures

Rows upon rows of books greet literary lovers at the 's annual book sale.

The event, which kicks off with a special preview for book-sellers on Thursday evening, aims to raise money for the .

After a few months of preparation and collecting books, Lions Club members were busy on Wednesday setting up tables of just about every book under the sun.

"We've got all types of books, fiction, non-fiction, how-to books, cooking, gardening," said Rick Fox, a co-organizer of the event. "Just about anything you can look for."

Each year around the start of March, Johnston residents and those from across the metro know to keep their eyes open for a great deal at the sale.

"Shortly before the sale we get signs up around town, make posters for businesses primarily along Merle Hay Road and 86th Street," Fox said. "Some of the grocery stores have fliers."

The books, which range in price from small change for paperbacks to a few dollars for hardbacks, are all donated.

"We put a notice out that they can drop books off at a few places around town," Fox said.

Dropping the books off at the Johnston Public Library allows donors to receive a receipt for tax purposes. Other collection sites included area banks, such as Grinnell State Bank. Fox said they have also arranged to pick up books from donors if contacted.

"We're pretty much done collecting, but we won't turn them away," he said.

Fox said the sale collects just about any type of book, but not usually encyclopedias, which don't tend to sell well.

"When the library pulls their selections they run them through our sale, what they haven't sold at the library," he said.

There's bound to be something for everyone on the about 20 tables of books on display.

"We always have a fair amount of children's books, lots of paperbacks and a lot of hardbacks, too," he said.

All of the proceeds from the sale goes back to the library, Fox said.

"We don't have any restrictions on what the library can spend it on," he said. "Just a general support for the library."

In the past the sale has been a success.

"We generally have done pretty well with it," he said. "We get quite a few people. We always have some left over but it's a fairly consistent money-raiser."

As the sale winds down on Saturday afternoon, the prices drop.

"You can come in and buy them by the bag," he said. "We usually give a plastic bag for a few dollars to fill with paperbacks."

The sale begins with a preview from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday for other book sellers for a small admission fee.

The public is welcome for free from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Johnston Lions Club, 6401 Merle Hay Road.

"If you're an avid reader, it's a good place to find a cheap book," Fox said. "It's hard to beat."