Stock your library at the Friends' annual book sale
Turn pages in a book and a lot happens.
Knowledge expands, imagination develops, conversation begins, relaxation occurs and relationships build. Simply reading a book puts all those skills in your hands.
This week, the Friends of the Lisle Library's biannual book sale is an opportunity to build your personal library and increase proficiency.
Cookbooks, mysteries, biographies, beginning readers and picture books will be among the hundreds of choices for all ages and interests.
Most books will sell for $1 to $3, with some bargains priced at just 25 cents. Paperbacks and VHS tapes will sell for 50 cents and DVDs for $2. Some framed artwork also will be for sale.
"To say we have a ton of books and other items to sell would be an understatement," said Doug Cunningham, president of the Lisle Library Friends.
Three things are contributing to the overflow: patrons have donated more books, the library's reconstruction caused Friends to miss one sale and the library staff went through its entire collection and weeded out more materials than usual.
"The room will definitely be packed with books," Cunningham said. "I don't count them, but our best guess is 13,000 to 15,000 items."
The public is invited to purchase books by the armload today, Friday and Saturday in the library meeting rooms at 777 Front St. Only members may shop today on "Friends Day," but anyone may join by calling (630) 971-1675 and you can check if your membership is current at the library's circulation desk.
A $2 membership fee covers two book sales; $1 if you're 60 or older. You also may join at the book sale. Members also may buy one science fiction book and get a second free on the first day of the sale.
Cunningham and Friends treasurer Bob McKeown have organized the sale to be user-friendly. Where at one time the sale was divided simply into fiction and nonfiction, now it's arranged according to the Dewey decimal system.
The 100s are philosophy and psychology, 200s religion, 300s social studies, 400s languages, 500s natural sciences and mathematics, 600s technology and applied sciences, 700s the arts, 800s literature and 900s geography and history.
Children's books and tapes will be to the far left of the entrance. Paperbacks are grouped together, and fiction is arranged alphabetically by the author's last name.
Cunningham has directed the book sale for a number of years and, in the process, has studied shopping styles. He knows the biggest sellers are children's books, cookbooks and history books.
"Some people browse through the books and look for something to grab their interest, while others know exactly the title or author they want," Cunningham said. "Then we have people with a wide variety of interests and they buy boxes of books."
Buying and selling used books is the granddaddy of recycling and reducing landfill. However, at the Lisle Library, the used book sale is also a way to finance the enriching and entertaining programs Friends sponsors all year long.
"The money we raise really goes toward good causes," Cunningham said. "Friends donated $15,000 toward new furniture in the children's department in the recent renovation. We sponsor travelogues, musical programs and ESL classes, which are all free to the public."
People who wish to donate books, particularly paperbacks, may bring them to the sale or to the library.
Coming this summer, Friends of the Lisle Library will present folk singer Lee Murdock June 8; Tropical Sound Steel Band June 22; Adventures in Michigan travelogue by Leroy Mick June 29; Maevis Jazz Trio July 13; Travel to China with Bill Helmuth July 27; Eugene Kwok with Music from Movies and Broadway Aug 10; and Helmuth's Travel to India Aug. 24. All programs are at 2 p.m.
An additional red-letter day to circle on the calendar is the library's official Open House of its completed renovation from 1 to 4 p.m. June 28.
If you go
What: Friends of Lisle Library Used Book Sale
When: Today, Friday and Saturday
Where: Lisle Library, 777 Front St.
Details: Today is Friends Day for members only; membership is $2 and available at the sale; nonmembers admitted free Friday and Saturday
Info: (630) 971-1675 or lislelibrary.org