I don’t need to tell you that books are the best, especially those with kissing. But sometimes? Sometimes my budget tells me that I need to slow my book-buying roll.
For those of us who like to read in paper rather than (or in addition to) digital, we have a few options: used bookstores, libraries, and… library book sales!
A library book sale is like the best of both worlds: you get cheap books and support a library at the same time. I’m such a fierce supporter of these that I spent an entire weekend helping to run my own library’s most recent sale. As a former yard sale rummager turned book sale connoisseur, I have a few tips to help you make the most of your experience.
1. Schedule Your Sale(s)
Ask your librarian if they have a book sale. Some libraries have an “ongoing sale,” which means they have a few shelves or boxes always available for perusal. These tend to change inventory regularly, and it’s really hit or miss as far as what you’ll find within. If you live close enough to other libraries, give them a call or check their websites for the same. I’m lucky enough to live in a place with lots of libraries, which means that sometimes there are sales going on the same weekend, or three weekends in a row. Because we have winter, the sales tend to all be crammed into the short summer weeks, which makes scheduling in advance a necessity.
2. Check the Dates, Pricing, and Location of the Sale
Some sales, like the GIANT one in Ithaca, NY (my favorite) run for three consecutive weekends, with the prices reducing each day. Resellers and avid readers wait for hours in huge lines to get in first thing that first day. If you don’t want to wait in that line? Plan to go the second day or later. It’s also helpful to scope out the location ahead of time. Sometimes these things are in locations without easy parking nearby… not so fun if you have a giant box of books to carry home. It’s nice to know what to expect.
3. Set a Budget and Set Your Priorities
This is important. Before you go to the sale, figure out how many books you can afford to buy (or can fit in your bag on the subway or whatever). It’s easy to become overwhelmed by choice and pick up 40 books, simply because they’re $1 each. If you have a limit in mind before you go, you’re more likely to avoid buyer’s remorse. If you do overbuy, however, you still get to feel good about having supported a library, so there really is no way to lose here.
Beyond quantity, decide what type of books you want to buy. If you don’t use cookbooks, tell yourself in advance that you will not be buying cookbooks. If you have fifteen unread thrillers on your shelf, you might not want to pick up more. Is there an author you’d like to stock up on? A publisher? A subgenre? Try to decide beforehand what books you hope to find. You’ll have the best luck with older titles from well-known authors and newer titles that were runaway hits. In my experience, there’s always a table full of Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber.
4. When You Go In, Scope Out the Sorting Zones
Huge sales (Ithaca, again) give you a map. Smaller ones won’t, but you can ask someone at the door where to go for fiction and they can direct you. Our sale has sections for children’s, paperback fiction, hardcover fiction, and nonfiction, the latter of which is broken down into categories. Some sales sort out fiction by genre, but many don’t. Before you get distracted by the closest shelf, figure out where you need to be and how to search through.
5. Kill Your Darlings
Unless the sale is small, you’ll probably end up with more books than you had intended. It’s okay, you’re human. Unfortunately, when you get home and start to unpack your haul, you’ll probably discover a few books that you regret buying. Maybe the spine is broken, it smells a bit, or it’s the third in a series, but you haven’t read the first two. I suggest taking a few minutes before hitting the checkout to sort through the books you’ve grabbed and decide if you really love all of them. If you aren’t sure you’ll read it, put it back. Someone else will love it.
6. Bask in the Glory That is a Shelf Full of Books
You’ve carried a box of paperbacks two blocks to your car, into the house, and up a flight of stairs. This is the moment you’ve been waiting for: the unboxing. Take those lovely books out of the box and welcome them to their new home.
Bonus tips!
- Don’t bring a coffee, you won’t have a place to put it once your hands are full of books.
- Do bring a friend to talk you into/out of book purchases.
- Do donate your used books back to the library after you’re done.
- Do offer to volunteer beforehand. You’ll get first dibs on books!
What are some of your strategies for tackling a book sale?
