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Friends of the Watauga County Public Library Hosts Annual Book Sale on May 17 at the Boone Mall

May 14, 2013. The Friends of the Library will hold their annual Book Sale on Friday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Boone Mall on Blowing Rock Road. 

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAA special preview sale will be held on Thursday for Friends of the Library members to have first pick. To become a friend of the library and get first dibs on all of the great books at the sale, simply arrive at the library or at the book sale and pay the $5 fee. 

Books at the sale will cover hardback, paperback, fiction, non-fiction, children’s books and more. The prices will be $1 for hardcovers, 50 cents for paperback and special deals will be made for children’s books.

This annual fundraiser raised more than $6,000 last year, and this year the goal is $10,000, said Clair Olander, who is heading up the book sale this year.

“The funding for the library just keeps getting cut more each year,” Olander said. “We raise money for the library as much as we can, and this is our largest fundraiser of the year.”

The books in the sale are donated by the community throughout the year. Some titles are added to the library collection, but because of limited space at the library many books go toward various sales that benefit the library.

“We receive so many books, especially since this is the time that people are doing their spring cleaning,” said Monica Caruso, the county librarian. “We sell some of the donated books here at the library, but because we have so many we have plenty for these big sales, and all the money comes back to the library.”

The Friends of the Library, who have done this book sale for more than a decade, encourage anyone who is interested to become a Friend. For only $5 per person or $10 per family, Friends help to provide summer programs, reading programs, spelling bees and much more. For more information about the Friends of the Library, visit their website here

This year there will also be a collection of military specialty books. 

“We expect a lot of people this year, just like every year,” Caruso said. “People even come from outside the county for this sale.”

In addition to this sale, on June 22 the Friends will also hold a Book Festival at Watauga High School from 9 a.m – 4 p.m. This event will be free to the public and will include exhibitors, author presentations, mystery writer panels and special stuff for kids. Mountain Alliance will provide breakfast and lunch at the event.