For more than 50 years, the Friends of the Emmet O’Neal Library have supported the library through its annual book sale, with proceeds benefitting the library’s adult and teen programs.
This year’s sale will begin Feb. 20 with a preview party and will continue with a general sale Feb. 21-23.
“There is always a lot of excitement surrounding this event,” said Friends President Barbara Blair. “So, mark your calendar for the book sale.”
According to Blair, the sale has raised more than $270,000 for library programs, and surplus funds have been donated to charities throughout the state. At the library, donations help fund a range of programming, including author events, book clubs, weekly yoga, ukulele workshops, cooking competitions and college readiness events.
“This past year, $30,000 worth of books were sold during the event,” Blair said. “During our philanthropy day after the sale, 25 nonprofit organizations were able to select over 3,500 books to be donated to their organizations.”
The more than 20,000 books available at the sale were sourced from the library’s collection or donated throughout the year by people in the community.
“Those wishing to donate books can bring them to the back door of the library,” Blair said. “Just ring the doorbell, and someone will take your books and give you a receipt.” The only donations the library cannot accept are encyclopedias, textbooks or books that are molding or otherwise damaged.
By donating at least $25, guests will receive an invitation to the preview party, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., which offers guests first pick of the sale’s rare and first edition offerings.
General sale hours will be Feb. 21 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Feb. 23 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a half-price sale upstairs and a $15 bag sale in the basement.
For more information, contact Barbara Blair at [email protected], or go to the “support” tab on the library’s website, eolib.org.
—Emily Williams
