Taryn Ashby
The Alachua County Friends of the Library (FOL) are gearing up for its biannual five-day book sale starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22
The fall event will feature more than 500,000 donated items, including DVDs, board games, artwork, puzzles, posters, comics, and books. Most materials are priced between 25 cents to $4.
The sale is free and open to the public and the building is located at 430 N. Main St. In Gainesville.
“Donations leading up to this fall sale donations were great,” said Brad McClenny, the public relations and marketing manager for the Alachua County Library District, in a phone interview. “We had tons of books and artwork donated this year, as well as some premier items for the Collector’s Corner.”
The sale features the popular Collector’s Corner, where rare items — like signed copies, vintage books, and first editions — can be found. This special area is open the first four days of the event but will be closed on Wednesday, Oct. 26, the last day of the sale.
The Collector’s Corner items list is available on the FOL website.
All proceeds earned during the sale will benefit the Alachua County Library District.
During the 2021-22 fiscal year, the FOL provided more than $125,000 back to the library district for local programs, materials, and services, McClenny said.
“This sale is very important for the library because it provides us with funds that we can use to create programs to give back to the community,” McClenny said. “We even provide scholarship funding for staff members who decide to go back and continue their education.”
Shoppers should bring their own bags and/or boxes for their purchases. As for payments, the FOL still accepts cash, checks, credit cards, Apple and Google Pay.
According to the FOL’s book sales procedure rules, customers may not hold a place in line unless they are physically present, no wagons are allowed at any time of the sale and strollers, carts and rolling suitcases are banned on Saturday only. No food, drinks, smoking or pets are permitted in the building and patrons are not allowed to sort or stockpile items on the floor.
COVID-19 precautions have eased up from last year. While only 300 shoppers will be allowed in the building at one time, masks are no longer required but just encouraged to be worn.
The fall sale follows its traditional daily schedule:
- 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22.
- Noon to 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 23.
- Noon to 6 p.m., Monday, Oct. 24
- Half price day from noon to 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25.
- 10 cents day on from noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 26.