Last weekend buyers from throughout New England, New York and New Jersey queued up along Route 44 and around the corner once again, waiting to be admitted to the 49th annual book sale sponsored by the Library Associates.
Nearly 100 volunteers, led by Bridget Taylor and Trish Deans, helped to facilitate the sale—sorting, researching, pricing and boxing some 23,000 books that were displayed under a tent next to the library.
Deans researched and priced the rare and vintage books for sale. Some of those of better value that did not sell are now for sale in Dean’s bookstore, Les Renards, with the proceeds to benefit the library. Liz Hilpman organized the many volunteers and dealt with logistics over the five days that the volunteers worked.
Proceeds from the sale help underwrite the library’s many special events, films, concerts, book discussions, children’s programs and more.
Every book will find a home. Those under the tent that did not sell or were not given away for free (a very small number), were picked up on Tuesday by Bay State Books, whose mission is to redistribute them to support literacy efforts.