This week marks the 20th annual National Friends of the Libraries Week. It also is the kickoff to the annual Alachua County Friends of the Library fall book sale, which starts Saturday. 

Featuring more than 500,000 donated books, magazines, records, games, puzzles and paintings, the five-day sale will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 26-29 at the Friends of the Library Bookhouse, 430 N. Main St., Gainesville. 

The fall event is one of two sales the FOL holds yearly, with the other taking place in the spring.  

“This is one the largest used book sales in the Southeastern United States,” FOL publicity chairman Sue Morris said. “… We have people come from all over [the country] for these sales. It’s great fun. Everybody has a great time.” 

Morris said that “the goal is to promote literacy” and provide “extra support for the Alachua County Library System.” 

The fall and spring sales are the same, Morris said, with volunteers collecting the previously mentioned donated items for six months between each sale. She noted that the FOL never purchases anything.  

“We collect all these things that have been donated, and we sort them and clean them up,” Morris said. “So, you’re not buying junk when you come to these sales. They’re well-prepared.” 

Prices typically range between 25 cents to $4 and $5, Morris said, with a half-price day on Oct. 28, followed by a 10-cent day on Oct. 29. 

“That’s everything from novels, history [books], bibles, business books, hobbies, all those things,” Morris said. 

When an item of value is donated, Morris said it will go into the Collector’s Corner.  

“That might include a very rare book or books that are signed by the author – collectable items,” she said. 

Morris said items in the Collector’s Corner will cost much more than those found in other parts of the building. 

“People come from all over to get into our Collector’s Corner. It’s very special,” she said.  

The Collector’s Corner is only open for the first four days of the fall and spring sales.  

A list of some of the items on offer in this area during the fall sale can be found here.  

Shoppers are asked to bring their own boxes when they come to the sale. Payments can be made by cash, check or credit card.  

Some other sale procedures people should be aware of:  

• Roughly 400 people will be allowed inside at a time. 

• No strollers, carts or rolling suitcases are allowed on Saturday. 

• No wagons are allowed at any time during the sale. 

• No food, drinks, smoking or pets. 

• No sorting or stockpiling on the floor.  

After the 10-cent day closes the sale, the FOL invites area nonprofit organizations to come take any items leftover from the sale at no cost.  

Morris said these organizations have to be Florida-based. 

“We usually have 25 or 30 different organizations come. And whatever they can use, they can take for free,” Morris said.  

For more information about the fall book sale, visit the FOL website at www.folacld.org.  

Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.