some post sale thoughts

Here you go - Friends of the Lancaster Public Library 2008 Fall Book Sale - my thoughts…

As mentioned in my previous post, this sale is a favorite of mine, due to the sheer number of books and its spacious location. I arrived just over an hour before the sale started, enabling me to get a decent spot near the front of the line which, by the time the sale started, was quite long. As with pretty much any book sale, things can be hit or miss depending on your expectations and what you are looking for. For me, I honestly just have a good time going through all the books and tend to have fun in that aspect whether I spend $20 on crap or $80 on rare first editions. With 150,000 books, the three and half hours I spent at the sale only enabled me to see a portion of what was there (time flies when you are having fun, and I could easily have spent another three and a half hours going through books if not for other obligations), but from what I saw the selection was very good - or, at least, it was for the first hour or so of the sale... this is a sale that has "no buyer restrictions" which is a dealer and book scout's dream, but certainly not the best situation for a reader/collector who just wants to buy books and be on an equal footing as everyone else in the room - "no buyer restrictions" means buyers can grab as many books as possible and hoard them to go through later before purchasing - in my opinion, if you put a book in your bag or box you should be doing so with the intention of buying it, not just keeping it out of the hands of other people while you decide if it is worth it (I dislike this activity more than I do scanners at book sales, and there are plenty of them at every sale getting in your way). Yes, I could do the same thing, but for some reason I just wouldn’t feel right doing it, so I don’t - maybe I should, but then I’d be creeping into hypocrite territory, which I try to avoid. OK, this is getting off topic, so I am going to leave my general thoughts on book sales, and the various people (scanners included) who attend them, for a future post.

Back to the sale... the sale takes place in a roller rink, split in the middle to distinguish between the individually priced books (ranging mostly between $1 to $4, penciled on the first page) and everything else ($1 hardbacks, $.50 paperback - with no discrimination between tpb's and mmpb's, which is nice)... many times I would pick up a book in one section and think it belonged in the other, so I do wonder what attributes they use to place a book in one area over the other. Each area is then broken out into broad categories (current fiction, current nonfiction, paperback fiction, mystery, history, etc.). All books are neatly organized, spine up, on tables. The sale is well staffed with volunteers restocking from boxes under the tables and answering questions. There are also plenty of cashiers to limit the time standing in line to pay for your books. Most all necessities have been thought of, including the roller rink's snack stand being open for refreshments.

As far as acquisitions go - it was mainly a reader sale for me, with one or two shelf worthy purchases. Although I do describe myself as a "collector", I am also a "reader" (and sometimes "hoarder"), so I can enjoy myself on many levels when books are close at hand. I did get approximately 40 books, spending right around $40 to do so - side note, this sale charges PA state sales tax of 6%, which I am at loss to fully understand - being a charitable organization who is receiving the items for sale through donations, I am not sure if sales tax is required.

I realized I forgot my camera once I was 20 minutes away from home (on a 50 minute drive), so no pictures this time - don't worry, the Friends of the Lancaster Public Library Spring Book Sale is right around the corner, so I'll promise pictures then... Man, I can't wait till I buy my newfangled cell phone, with an actual 3.2mp camera in it, worthy of taking actual pictures (reviewed well across the internet). Only little over a month until my Verizon new phone every 2 years deal is here! I look forward to snapping and sharing pictures of every bookstore I go to (without having to remember to bring my wife's camera with me).

And since I mentioned the Friends of the Lancaster Public Library Spring Book Sale - there is one noticeable difference between the Fall and Spring sales which is worth mentioning... Fall sales open on a Monday at 9:00 and Spring sales begin at 7:00 AM, that's right 7:00 in the morning! Certainly something to for anyone who needs to drive any distance should take note of.