Annual Fanwood Book Sale Preparations Underway

The Friends of the Fanwood Memorial Library are hosting their annual, four-day Book Sale at beginning September 20.

All proceeds will benefit library programs, including the summer reading program for children.

“We’ve found that with our annual book sale, the Friends are able to pay for a lot of activities that we might not otherwise be able to provide locally,” said Thena Rosahl, who runs the book sale this year.

Programs funded by last year’s sale included an evening of Italian Music with Salvatore Chiarelli and the Museum Pass Program, where card holders and Friends can visit area musuems for free or at a minimal cost. All programs were funded thanks to $8,000 the Friends raised during last year’s book sale, and Rosahl hopes to continue that tradition.

She said it takes a few days to set up the sale, and the Friends are looking for volunteers to help set up.

“Every contribution is valuable, whether it is a person’s time or a person’s money or their energy for doing something towards the library,” Rosahl said.

Volunteers organize hardcover and paperback books into categories of fiction, non-fiction, thrillers, poetry, classics, and children books in order of age. In addition, the sale will include CDs, DVDs, and audiobooks.

Rosahl estimated upwards of 30 volunteers last year.

“Once people help once, they’re hooked,” she said.

Rosahl said she sees repeat volunteers and customers who she looks forward to meeting again each year. She said often people who donate bags of books enjoy the opportunity to talk about their books.

The sale begins for members of the Friends of the Fanwood and Scotch Plains Libraries on September 20 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Any resident can become a member and get first pick Thursday night.

“The book sale is something that we do for the local people and to help the local libraries, so that’s why we have the Friends day,” Rosahl said.

The sale is open to the public September 21 and 22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and September 23 from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday is $5 bag day, when shoppers can fill brown paper bags as full as the bag can hold with books for $5.

“You would be amazed at how many books can be fitted into one paper bag,” Rosahl said.

“It’s a fantastic deal,” she said.

Rosahl said she looks forward to helping shoppers find what they are looking for.

“Just seeing that person really, really happy at having found the book they wanted–it’s just connecting the dots. I like that bit,” she said.

The Friends of the Fanwood Memorial Library will accept donations at Forest Road Park during the following dates and times: Friday, September 14 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, September 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Monday, September 17 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and Tuesday, September 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Golden books will cost $0.25, paperbacks will cost $0.50, hardcover adult books will cost $2, and DVDs/CDs will cost $2.

Membership forms to become a Friend of the Fanwood Memorial Library are available in the library. Membership is open to all interested adults and youth–you can join any time throughout the year. Fees begin at $15 for an individual.