The Chapel Hill Public Library held a Big Book Sale over the weekend to raise money for the library system.
The three-day long event was sponsored by the Friends of the Chapel Hill Public Library, a volunteer organization that works year-round to sort and organize books donated by members of the community. Bob Schreiner, a volunteer with the organization, said they had over 20,000 books to sell.
“There’s a lot of newer material, but there is also a lot of older material like books from the 19th century — they’re not rare, not too valuable,” Schreiner said. “The range really varies tremendously.”
Typically, between 1,200 to 1,500 people attend the library’s book sales, which happen three times a year, bringing in anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 per sale, Schreiner said. The money is used to supplement items beyond the library’s budget, including movie licensing, special programming and new furniture.
Any unsold items at the end of the weekend sale are donated to a Chapel Hill thrift shop that benefits the public school system, Schreiner said.
Martha Brunstein, president of the Friends of the Chapel Hill Public Library, said the book sale offers something for everyone.
“Used book sales are like treasure hunts,” she said. “You never know what you’re going to find — it might be something that you’ve been looking for for years, it could be something you’ve always wanted, it could be something you didn’t expect; but everyone finds some kind of treasure here.”
