Friends of the Farmington Library's Amazing Annual Book Sale

The wait is over. The Friends of the Farmington Library’s annual spring book sale will be held this weekend, April 7-9, in the Main Library Community Room.

Book sale hours are Thursday, April 7, 2-9 p.m. opening day with $5 admission; Friday, April 8, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. (free) and Saturday, April 9, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (free), 3-5 p.m. bag sale, $6 per bag. 

The average price for most books is 75 cents to $3, said book sale organizer Linda Chapron.

You can find recently published new books in “read once” condition that retailed for $25 for only $1.50. There is a tremendous selection of children’s books in like-new condition as well.

From 3-5 p. m. on Saturday, it's fill a bag for $6.

New books, old books, sports, fiction, essays, humor, travel, mystery, children’s, hardcover, paperbacks. The book sale features over 25,000 books, carefully pre-screened and sorted into categories.

“We’re running out of space” and “some books defy categorization,” are a few of the comments shouted across the community room as a herd of volunteers unpacked box after box of books this week and set them up for display.

The Friends of the Library accept donations year round, and having held a book sale since 1972, have a super system in place.

Sherra Palmer and Betty Coykendall have been involved in the book sale since the 1980s.

“First, we were upstairs in the Barney Library,” Coykendall explained. “After the new Main library opened in 1983, the donated books were stored in the basement of the Barney Library, and then brought over in a hired moving truck. In 2003, when the renovated Main Library opened, the Friends were given our own storage room.”

Over 30,000 books are donated every year. Palmer has handled every one, coming in one day a week, year round. First she checks to make sure the book is in acceptable condition- no mold, no missing pages. Then the library staff checks to see if the book should be added to the collection. If the book is going into the sale, she assigns it a price, based on Bookfinder listings she checks with her husband David Palmer; selects an appropriate category, and places it on the appropriate metal shelf in the storage room.

“Without the touch, feel and smell of used books, the world would be no place for me,” she said.

Chapron has done an incredible job of organizing the metamorphosis the Community Room into a used-book store in just a few days. She "wants to give credit and thanks to the dozens of volunteers and donors of books who made this event happen. The library receives over $30,000 from the Friends Book Nook and three book sales each year."

The Friends of the Farmington Library, with 700 members and a working committee of 35-40, has provided financial support to the library for programming and materials for 65 years. Membership is open to everyone. The annual fee is $15 for an individual and $20 for a family. The Friends invite you to join them by bringing completed Membership Applications to the Circulation Desk at the Main or Barney Library.

The Friends next fundraiser is the 13th annual Kitchens and Gardens Tour on Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. This year’s tour includes seven unique gardens, many within walking distance of the Village of Farmington; Stanley Whitman, Hill-Stead Museum, and Farmington Library gardens.

For more information email friends@farmingtonlibraries.org.