The Portage la Prairie Regional Library is gearing up for its 47th annual book sale, set to begin June 28 and run through to August 30, just after the Canada Day long weekend.
Suzy Laevens, the library’s clerk, graphic designer and longtime book sale coordinator, says it’s the library’s biggest fundraiser of the year and one that continues to grow.
“This will be our 47th book sale. I haven’t been doing it that long, but I’ve probably been involved, probably for a good fifteen. I was trying to think 15 to 20 years I’ve been helping out with the book sale,” notes Laevens.
Mix of donation and pricing options
The sale will feature a mix of donation-based pricing and individually marked items, depending on their condition and value.
“In the past we’ve had individual pricing and we’ve had by donation. So it’s whatever you want to donate to the library. It will be a combination of that,” says Laevens. “Most of it will be probably by donation, but then there will be some specific things that will have prices on them that just are a little bit higher value.”
Among this year’s early highlights is a collection of rare and vintage titles that may attract collectors and literary enthusiasts.
“We’ve got a really nice donation of some really old books,” she adds. “I have to do a little bit of research on them. I’m not sure what their value is, but I’m sure they will appeal to a lot of people.”
Organized by genre for easier browsing
The books will be sorted into general categories to help visitors find what they’re looking for. These include fiction, literature, nonfiction, cookbooks, crafts and hobbies.
“They’ll no doubt get mixed up as people wander through,” says Laevens, “but I like to keep them in categories so people can kind of hit their favourites.”
Donations welcome year-round
Laevens says donations are accepted anytime, though the influx often ramps up right before or during the sale, sometimes causing a bit of a bottleneck as staff work to vet the books for quality.
“We do have to vet them first for their condition,” notes Laevens. “People have been very generous and we hope that people continue to be so.”
Funds support library collections
The book sale plays a key role in supporting the library’s operations, particularly the purchase of new materials.
“It is our largest fundraiser of the year, pretty much the one that we spend the most time on,” adds Laevens. “It does go to help buy more books for the library and just general operations—but mostly more materials. So people can buy books, and then we can buy books.”
Donation guidelines are available on the library’s website.