Dedicated Volunteers Sort Contributions Year-Round
If you have entered the library through the back door, you have probably noticed the large, plastic bin outside labeled “Book Sale Donations.” Maybe you have even placed some of your unwanted books here from time to time. What you may not realize is how vital your donations are to the Friends’ operations. Selling these gently used books and AV materials at our periodic book sales is what allows us to fund many of the programs our patrons enjoy. The volunteers who meet regularly to sort and organize these donations are essential to our mission as well.
Click image to see Book Donations in Action poster
Volunteers At Work
Each week, the Friends receive between two and three thousand books and AV materials in our designated drop-off areas. Managing this many items requires frequent attention by volunteers, who empty the bin daily. Though the book sale happens three times a year – in February, June and October – volunteers meet twice a week throughout the year to categorize and store the donations.
On a recent Monday morning, five volunteers diligently sorted through boxes and bags of used books. Experience has taught them what items are likely to sell. According to Book Sale Chair Keirsten Seiger, it is most often the condition of a book, rather than its content, that determines whether it is appropriate for the sale. But the process is subjective.
Items deemed acceptable are shelved and boxed according to genre. Mysteries go in one area, children’s books in another. Series are kept together. It’s an elaborate system.
Sturdy copy-paper boxes, labeled and reused for each sale, are carefully stacked along the walls to make maximum use of space in the small room. Empty boxes are stored upside down; that way, volunteers know at a glance if a box is full of books or not.
In addition to books, the library receives CDs and DVDs, which the volunteers carefully inspect. Maintaining high standards is key to the sale’s success. Shoppers who come to the Westford Book Sale know they can count on getting quality items.
Volunteers sometimes find unexpected treasures in the bin. On this particular Monday, Christine MacMillan came across a photo bookmark commemorating someone’s 90th birthday. Another volunteer discovered that one of the books, Nascar Winston Cup ‘90, had signatures of NASCAR drivers on the front page.
Book Sale Deputy and Friends Treasurer Sally Rosenthal said other surprising finds have included wedding photos, military medals, expired credit cards and tax forms. People may be cleaning out an attic or a basement, she said, and they do not always realize everything that is in a box. Volunteers sometimes receive Westford Public School library books, which they return. They’ve also gotten an occasional yearbook, which they also return to the schools if possible.
Books that are deemed inappropriate for the sale are responsibly rehomed. The Friends have an active relationship with More Than Words, a non-profit in Boston that helps empower youth by hiring them to run all aspects of their retail stores. Passing these books along to More Than Words gives them a second chance to be enjoyed, and also supports the organization’s mission of providing valuable training to system-involved young adults. Even if we do not use your book for our sale, it still benefits the community at large.
Money Matters
Book Sales are the Friends’ bread and butter. Held three times a year, these sales bring in nearly 40 percent of our income. Memberships bring in nearly 40 percent as well, and book sales are an important driver of memberships, since many people join in order to attend the “Members Only Preview” on the first night of a sale.
Click image to see Your Dollars at Work Poster
This income from Book Sales and Memberships allows us to provide programs and services to the public free of charge. If you have ever enjoyed any of the following, you can thank the community members who donate their used books, the volunteers who sort and organize the items, and the customers who shop at the sales.
Concerts, craft programs, story hours and other programs for children
Extended study hours with refreshments, thrift swaps, and other programs for teens
Lectures and other events for adults
Summer reading programs for all ages
Discounted museum passes
Digital offerings including ebooks, audiobooks, music and video
Friends’ Bestseller Collection (additional copies of new releases available for circulation)
Preparations Underway for Fall Sale
The next book sale will take place October 20, 21 and 22. Volunteers are gearing up for this event; running it successfully requires the effort of more than 100 people over three days.
In the meantime, the Friends will gladly accept your used books and audio and video materials in good condition. Visit the Book Sales page for details about what items we accept.
Hope to see you at the sale on whichever day suits you best:
Friday October 20 is a Friends Members Only preview, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Memberships are available now, or you may join at the door.
Saturday October 21 is the Public Sale, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most items are $1 or $2.
Sunday October 22 is a Bag Sale, from 2 to 4 p.m. Attendees must purchase a reusable bag for $10 to enter, and can then fill it with items.
Thank you for your support.