The Friends of O’Neal Library book sale returns this month for its 58th year.
The Friends group held its first book sale in 1965, raising $303; in 2022, more than $29,000 worth of books were sold.
The book sale this year runs from Feb. 23 to Feb. 26. More than 20,000 volumes are available.
The sale kicks off with a preview party Feb. 23, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Those who donate $50 or more to the library will receive an invitation to the preview party and have first access to the collection, which includes art and coffee table books, first editions and rare titles that the Friends have been organizing all year.
Donations may be made at the door, or you can donate to the library at oneallibrary.org. Go to the support tab and click on Mountain Brook Library Foundation.
The sale is open to everyone Feb. 24-25 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. During the Sunday Sale, Feb. 26 2-5 p.m., patrons can fill a bag of books in the basement for $15 and purchase treasures for half price.
Proceeds from book sales support the O’Neal Library’s adult and teen programs. Programs for adults this past year ranged from book clubs to an American Sign Language course to a Sustainable Style Series. Programs for teens included college financing workshops, theater programs and exam support for teens.
Over the past decade, the Friends have raised more than $300,000 for the library and have shared the surplus donated books with various charities throughout Alabama. Last year at the philanthropy day after the sale, 24 nonprofit organizations were able to select more than 3,300 books to be donated to their organizations.
Books in this year’s sale were donated by members of the community or from the library’s collection. The Friends are accepting donations continuously. Those wishing to donate can bring books to the back door of the library and ring the doorbell. Encyclopedias, out-of-date textbooks and books that are damaged or moldy will not be accepted.
