Book Sale
We’re happy to announce our next book sale, to be held in the Community Room adjacent to the Library, October 27-30. Thursday and Friday hours are 10 am to 6 pm, and Friday and Saturday hours are 10 am to 5 pm.
Pricing has been rolled back to the old $1 per inch of stacked books, and $1 each for DVDs and CDs. All day Sunday books will be $5 a bag.
Come and select from a rich selection of books, including fiction, non-fiction and Children’s, plus a selection of unusual books specially priced.
Traditionally SLOFOL held an annual book sale in March, but we are moving toward holding more frequent smaller sales. As always they feature a wide selection of adult, children’s and teen books, as well as DVDs and audio books. Books are typically priced by the inch, when stacked, and DVDs and CDs by the box.
To see the Tribune’s video of preparation for a past book sale, click here.
To watch the excitement of opening night at a book sale, click here.
Book Sale History
The first Book Sale was organized in March 1979 by Marjorie Johnson who was then the Assistant Library Director and was held in the lower floor of the Veterans Memorial Building, now home to the Veterans Museum. Since the room size limited patrons to 250 at a time, there were lines of patrons waiting for a chance to buy books at a price of 15 cents per inch. The first sale netted over $1700, and the success of that sale resulted in a move to the main hall in the Vets Building.
In preparation for the Sale, Marjorie secured space in a large warehouse on Kansas Avenue – formerly the laundry for Camp San Luis Obispo. For over 25 years Marjorie and her husband Richard led a team of volunteers who sorted and boxed books for the Sale. Many years later, volunteers still meet regularly to sort and box books.
Over the years Friends of the Library book sales have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Library.
The key to success of the book sale is the work of our volunteers. In addition to those working at the warehouse, dozens of volunteers turn out for the Sale itself. It’s a joyful event, and both volunteers and customers return year after year.
If you would like to volunteer for the Sale or if you would like to donate books for the Sale, please contact us using the appropriate email contact form.
Location: 995 Palm St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93403