From Hermione Granger to Georgiana Darcy and from Gilgamesh to Goku, everyone can find characters they love within the pages of books at the Friends of the Library Used Book Sale. It will be held this weekend at the Elizabethton Recreation Center at 300 W. Mill St.
The sale will begin Thursday from 6-8 p.m. for FOTL members only, but those wishing to become members may register at the door for $10. For the general public, the sale will begin at 9 a.m. and last until 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
“We have all kinds of genres: fiction, nonfiction, travel books, language books, oodles of children’s books, biographies, autobiographies, science fiction, mystery — you name it, we’ve got it,” said Lilo Duncan, chairwoman of the book sale. She said they have so many books that in 30 years of hosting it, they have never sold out.
Hardback books are $1 and paperbacks are 50 cents. Books are donated throughout the year from community members.
The sale, which usually generates around $3,000, is the primary fundraiser organized by FOTL. That money, along with membership dues from over 100 members and community donations, is used to the purchase items not included in the library’s budget.
Some items and services that FOTL provides are supplies, musical instruments, refreshments for reading programs, draperies, furniture, seasonal decor, maintenance projects, software, scanners, library cards and desks for public access computers.
Recently, FOTL laid new flooring in the meeting room, which is where Story Time is held as well as other events. They have also installed new carpet, new rugs and made reading rooms. All supplies were purchased in Elizabethton and made in America.
Carter County inmates helped collect books each month in preparation and unloaded three sheds of books for the sale.
“It helps the community,” said Quincy Roark, an inmate helping unload the books. “There are a lot of people out there that can’t afford books, and the mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
Book sale committee member Dean Shultz said the sale wouldn’t be possible without the help of the inmates. Also serving on the committee are Alta Barwick and Robin Loessberg.