Good Deals, Good Reads to be Found at the Library Book Sale

The Friends of Wissahickon Valley Public Library will hold the biannual beginning April 29, with over 10,000 items for sale in the Blue Bell branch of the community room.

The sale, held in the spring and again in October over Columbus Day weekend, has existed since at least 2000 and features adult books, children’s books and even jigsaw puzzles. Proceeds benefit the library.

“We get such beautiful, beautiful books,” said Cathie McCauley, Friends member.

Fiction books are broken up by genre into mystery, thriller, sci-fi and general fiction. Non-fiction is also broken up into categories to make books easier to find.

There will also be children’s books for sale. McCauley said the sale has everything from picture books and beginning readers books up to tween and teen books.

The adult books are all $1, except for special value books that have discounted pricing. Children’s books range in price from two for 25 cents to $1, and are priced with a color system.

There will also be bestsellers for sale at the library that are not part of the book sale, but will be on spinner displays in the lobby. The bestsellers are on sale for $2 each.

Saturday, April 30, also marks the last day of the Friends silent auction at the library. There have been 18 special books on silent auction in the display case at the library through March and April. Books available for auction include art books, books about English gardens, children’s books, and even a signed book by Lisa Scottoline, a local bestselling author.

This is the third time the Friends have held a silent auction, and the second time in conjunction with the Book Sale, and it has been very successful in the past.

The sale runs from Friday, April 29, to Tuesday, May 3. Doors are open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday from 1 to 4:30 p.m., Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday is bag sale day, where for $4, visitors can purchase a paper grocery bag and fill it with books. All special value books are also half price on Tuesday. The sale closes at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and then reopens at 6 p.m., when everything that is left is free.

There is also a member’s preview day for the sale Friday night from 7  to 9 p.m. for Friends of the Library.

McCauley said the busiest times are Friday night during the preview event, Saturday and Tuesday.

The event is solely run by volunteers, with nearly 20 volunteers from the Friends of Wissahickon Valley Public Library staffing the event Friday through Tuesday.