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Used book bonanza at the Park City Library

Alisha Self, Of the Record staff

The most valuable thing in a public library, says Parkite Jo Janger, is keeping the selection current. When someone walks into the building and wants to check out one of the latest-and-greatest bestsellers, they should be able to find what they’re looking for, she says.

Janger is a new co-president of the Friends of the Park City Library, the volunteer nonprofit dedicated to supporting the library. As the group gears up for its largest fundraiser of the year, the annual Labor Day weekend Used Book Sale, Janger and her fellow volunteers are keeping their eyes on raising as much money as possible to continue to support the library through building its collection and boosting services.

The sale will take place Sept. 3-6 in the Jim Santy Auditorium. As always, it will feature thousands of books as well as books on tape, VHS videos, DVDs, CDs and children’s puzzles and games.

Janger estimates that this year’s selection will include nearly 5,000 items. "The books have been coming in every day," she says. "It’s amazing. People have been wonderful."

The literary collection will feature current bestsellers, children’s books, history, science and travel books, romance novels, cookbooks and coffee-table books, all marked at bargain prices.

Janger asks that people who wish to donate books for the fundraiser bring items to the library’s circulation desk no later than Tuesday, Aug. 31, in order to provide ample time for sorting and setup.

Current and new members of the Friends of the Park City Library will get the first chance to browse the sale during the preview night Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. Memberships can be purchased at the door and cost $15 for individuals or $25 for families. Higher-level memberships are available for Book Worms ($50) and Book Lovers ($100 or more).

Besides admission to the preview sale, membership confers discounted tickets to the annual Author Luncheon, which will be held on Oct. 20 this year and feature Michael Norman, the author of "On Deadly Ground."

The book sale will be open to the public Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Bargain Bag Sale, Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will provide an opportunity for shoppers to cram as many items as possible a large paper shopping bag for $5.

A focus this year will be on the silent auction, Janger says. Starting Friday night, visitors will be able to bid on items including ceramic bowls, golf clubs, salon services, jewelry, golf passes and an oriental rug. Auction winners will be announced on Monday.

Proceeds from the used book sale will be used to assist the library in every way possible, Janger says. We try to meet their needs and most of the time we do," she explains.

One of the services that the Friends group helps finance is the Rapid Readers program, which speeds up the rental period for bestsellers in order to keep them on the shelves.

Instead of the typical three-week check-out period, books from the Rapid Readers section can be checked out for one week only, explains Library Director Linda Tillson. Late fees are bumped from 10 cents a day to a dollar a day to encourage timely returns and there are no holds, reserves or renewals.

"They’ve funded that on a continuous basis, which has been really helpful," Tillson says.

"We’re trying to meet the needs of the community by making the library a first-class facility," Janger says. "We want to make it one of the best libraries in the area and to do that, we need people to support us."

Volunteers are needed to help with the book sale. To sign up, contact Barbara Bretz at bbretz56@msn.com or sign up at the circulation desk before Sept. 1.

For more information about library services and the Friends of the Park City Library, visit http://www.parkcitylibrary.org.

Book sale schedule:

Members’ preview night

Friday, Sept. 3, 6-8 p.m. * Memberships can be purchased at the door

Public sale Saturday, Sept. 4, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bargain bag sale Monday, Sept. 6, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.


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