Looking for a fresh read, an expensive old textbook or collage materials? This discount book sale might be the place for you. Lane County Fairgrounds is hosting The Friends of the Eugene Public Library’s annual giant book sale this weekend, with free admission. The book sale started in 1979 and has remained a classic Eugene tradition ever since.
The event will be held at Lane County Fairgrounds at the Lane Events Center Performance Hall Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13. On Saturday, the sale will go from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The last day of the sale will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own bag or box to haul all their treasured finds away.
At this beloved annual event, students and community members can buy books or other types of media for just $1 to $2. Thousands of books, from classic novels to cookbooks, will be sold at a discounted price, as well as CDs, DVDs, novelty items and audiobooks. The sale will also feature special collections, which will include unique books for a slightly higher price.
The sale will feature a vast variety of book genres. Students looking for a specific book for a literature class or an older textbook might just stumble upon it at the book sale.
The sale will also have large stacks of magazines, perfect for collage or other art projects. Last year, the sale included a large collection of Life Magazines from the ‘50s to the ‘70s for just $1 apiece. This could be a gold mine event for art-loving students looking for materials.
As prices rise across the country, events like these are important for the local community. Benefitting both the charity organization and the customers, the sale aims to provide books of any kind to the people of Eugene for a low price.
Linda Ague, Friends of the Eugene Public Library president, said events like these that help support local libraries and encourage reading are more important than ever.
“Libraries aren’t just important for the resources that they are. It says something about a city. It shows how much we care about everybody and how much we want them to be able to participate in a bigger life than what might be available to them,” Ague said. “For children, that is vital. Not everybody is able to afford books. Libraries foster imagination and provide a space where everyone is welcome.”
Friends of the Eugene Public Library has been collecting book donations for the past year to prepare for the charity event. Over 400 volunteers helped gather, sort and transport the donated books.
The nonprofit organization works to support the library by raising money for programs and projects like the Summer Reading Program and the Imagination Library. These programs help provide free books for the children and teens of Eugene. They also help fund a variety of other programs at the Eugene Public Library.
Ague was a middle school librarian for many years and is a major advocate for supporting young readers through these public resources. She spent many years watching the impact that books have on young children, throughout their developmental years.
“When the kids would ask what the book was about, I would say that it is a conversation between you and the author,” Ague said. “They’re going to tell you a story, and you’re going to bring your story to it. It will be a different story for every kid that reads that book.”
The sale will have books available to all ages, from local children to older members of the community. With large tables bursting with books of every kind, this event is not one to miss. Offering admission and a large collection of books to peruse, the giant charity book sale is a welcome reminder of how the people of Eugene continue to support important public resources like the Downtown Library.
