“We have 15,000 books to sell. That’s four times as many as the last sale in the spring. Our storeroom is bursting at the seams,” reports Lucy Maloney, president of the Friends of the Hilo Public Library, whose bigger-than-ever fall
“We have 15,000 books to sell. That’s four times as many as the last sale in the spring. Our storeroom is bursting at the seams,” reports Lucy Maloney, president of the Friends of the Hilo Public Library, whose bigger-than-ever fall sale is set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24-26, at the downtown Hilo facility at 300 Waianuenue Ave.
“Browse your way through row after row of books priced at $1/hardcover and 50 cents/paperback.,” said Maloney. There also will be the traditional choices in the Better Books Section, which may be priced somewhat higher, but still good bargains. Special bargain price will be in effect, as usual, on Saturday. This means you can get all the books you can fit into a plastic grocery bag for $5. Or, bring your own recyclable bag if you prefer.
Here is the schedule: Thursday, Oct. 24, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 25, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
And if you are a member of the Friends of the Library you get a “sneak peek” Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
“Due to popular demand, we are opening the doors at 5 p.m., a half-hour earlier than at previous book sales. If you’re not currently a Friend don’t worry, you can become an ‘instant Friend’ for a donation of $10 at the door.”
What sorts of books can you expect to find? Everything from A to Z in both fiction and nonfiction and, of course, children’s books. Major categories in fictions are Mystery, Science Fiction, Romance and Western.
Nonfiction categories include: Animals, Nature, Architecture, Art, Biography, Business, Computer, Cooking, Reference, Education, Textbooks, Foreign language, Gardening, Hawaiiana, Health, History, Government, Military, Hobbies, Humor, Literature, Drama, Poetry, Music, Film Theater, Religion and Philosophy, Science, Sociology, Psychology, Self-Help, Sports, Technology, Home Improvement and Travel.
In the Better Books Section, shoppers can find mint-condition hardcover books with like-new dust jackets and first editions of very high quality at special prices.
According to Jane Webb, co-chair of the book sale: “This will be our biggest book sale of the year with over 15,000 volumes up for grabs – all in pristine or gently-used condition. In keeping with the Halloween spirit, we’ll have small treats available for the younger set and will give out free Dr. Seuss bookmarks for as long as they last.
“Our longtime army of volunteers will be on hand to direct you to your favorite book section, as well as to help cart your selections out to your car. Help us make this a productive sale to raise funds for the many needs of the library. See you there!”
“Thanks to the generosity of Hilo Public Library patrons and supporters,” said Sally Kegler, book sale co-chair. “HPL Friends have book donations for this sale that cover almost every conceivable subject matter, as well as a large number of CDs, magazines and reference books. The best of the bunch go early, so please become a Friend on Wednesday evening to reap your 2013 Fall Book Sale harvest. And don’t forget: It’s not too early to shop for holiday giving!””
The sale is sponsored by Friends of the Hilo Public Library and organized and staffed by nearly 50 volunteers. Net proceeds from this sale directly support Hilo Public Library.
Where does the money go that is raised by the sale? It all goes to serving library needs such as purchasing adult, reference and Hawaiiana materials, books and incentives for children’s and adults’ reading contests, computer software, DVDs and many other programs not covered by the limited state budget. In past years Friends have helped pay for the new white floor tile in the lobby, a new magazine display rack and brochures about the native plants in the atrium in addition to other “behind-the-scenes” needs of the library. Since 2005 the Friends have also awarded 11 $1,000 scholarships to librarians-in-training at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
The Friends of the Hilo Library group was established in 1983 and has raised more than $100,000 for the library to date. Over 300 community members contribute annually to the Friends.
Parking is limited to the library on Thursday and Friday, but additional parking will be available on Saturday at Big Island Substance Abuse Council (BISAC) across the street.
