Friends of the Library Book Sale features new twists

Some opportunities occur only once a lifetime; others occur annually.

One of the annual ones happens this weekend – at Ritzville's Carnegie Library. With eight years of experience, the Friends of the Library (FOL) sponsor their annual Book Sale in the conference room in the Library's basement. An elevator entrance on the building's side gives easy access to disabled or tired legs.

Items for sale come from Library's discarded books and from donations. But this is no ordinary "sale." Yes, you do have to pay money. But sale price is $5 for a whole bag of books (think plastic grocery-type bag).

And there's more: Morgan Roth, President of the Friends of the Library, mentioned that this year, in addition to books, the Library is selling no-longer-needed book shelves and a book cart. She didn't mention a price-but suspicion is that if you can manage to fit one of those items into a bag, the cashiers may have to let it go for five bucks. If someone walks out with a bag the size of Santa's bag of gifts... they cheated.

Over the years, monies generated by the book sale average approximately $2,000, which is the goal for this year. Some funds are marked for the Library's quarterly programs. In the past, those programs have included authors, lecturers and even a classical guitarist.

Other portions of the sale funds go toward support of the e-books program. For the past six years, library patrons have been able to check out electronic books for phones or tablets. The demand for e-books at the Library has risen each year. Audio books are also available. After the sales event, leftover books are typically sent to Goodwill, or if in good condition are held over for next year's sale.

And that's not all: the Library is conducting a raffle for a "basket" of items. Ms. Roth says the basket's value is estimated at $220. Raffle tickets are $2 each.

The basket contains two books – one is "Cassandra" by Sharma Shields, the subject being Hanford. Ms. Shields is a well-known author from the Spokane area and will be coming to the Library for a summer event. Shields also authored "Sasquatch Hunter's Almanac."

The other book-in-the-basket is "The Library Book" by Susan Orlean. Her book is the account of a 1996 library fire, which is the largest library fire in United States history. Unfortunately, media coverage of that book's release came the day after Chernobyl, so any familiarity to be gained was overshadowed and did not get the benefit it deserved.

Ms. Roth noted that the number of books this year is fewer than usual, but said the volumes are of good quality.

The Library Book Sale, a great annual opportunity for a five-spot Bag-o-Books, takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and from 11 a.m. through 2 p.m. on Saturday.