Only a few weeks left until the Friends of the CH Booth Library book sale

Published: June 27, 2024, 07:30

UPDATE: This story has been updated from the July 21, 2024 print edition of The Newtown Bee to further clarify how Friends of CH Booth Library book sales benefit the CH Booth Library.

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For over 45 years, Friends of the CH Booth Library has presented the community with the area’s largest used book sale. The Friends of the CH Booth Library Book Sale will return on Friday, July 12th at 1 p.m. The sale will be held at Reed Intermediate School, 3 Trades Lane. A large collection of items will be sold in the school gymnasium, with special and rare items offered in the side gymnasium.

The opening session on Friday will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission that afternoon is $40 and space is limited to 200 participants.

On Saturday, July 13, sales will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is $5, with admission free for those under 18.

On Sunday, July 14, the sale will also run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and items will be 25 percent off.

On Monday, July 15, the sale will run until 7 p.m. and items will be marked 50 percent off. The remaining items will then be offered free on the final day of the sale, Tuesday, July 16, when the building will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This is the Friends’ largest fundraiser for the library, and this year there are over 120,000 items for sale. The sale began in 1975 with only discarded library books, but has since expanded to include donated books, puzzles, games, CDs, DVDs, and more.

Throughout the year, the Friends carefully organize items for sale. Proceeds from book sales go directly back to the library in the form of an annual grant that funds programs for adults and children, expands the library’s book and media collection, funds technology upgrades, and generally supports library services.

“The richness of our area is what supports the richness of our sales,” Kaiser added. “It happens to be… There’s something for everyone,” and she couldn’t be more right.

She recently presented a stamp collection that was found in the donation pile, with mint, counter sheet Elvis Presley stamps as well as The Blue Fairytale Book by Andrew Lang.

John Renjilian, responsible for the special exhibitions, showed a collection of warship photographs, including an original drawing and a limited edition of Joyce Carol Oates’ Sentimental educationHe explained that many signed books were found among this year’s donations.

These are just a few of the items on the growing list of special items for sale this year. A full list will be available on boothbooksale.org closer to the sale, but the Friends are currently compiling an initial list that will be posted online soon.

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Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at [email protected].

Cathy Reeve (left) and Barbara Olmsted are two dedicated volunteers who help sort and organize the thousands of books donated each year to the Friends of CH Booth Library book sale, the largest fundraiser for the city’s library, held July 12-16.—Bee Photos, Cross

John Renjilian, who handles special offers for the Friends of the CH Booth Library book sale, holds a signed copy of Sam Snead’s “Quick Way to Better Golf.”