MONROE, CT — Customers coming into the Ehlers Room of Edith Wheeler Memorial Library for a book sale on a cold, rainy Saturday morning were greeted by the warm smiles of Friends.
Friends of Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, a nonprofit that raises money for library programs and equipment, holds a book sale fundraiser every year.
Lorraine Riedel, the president and a volunteer for around 15 years, said the first book sale was held on the first weekend of June, many years ago, when the library was housed at Monroe Town Hall.
After that, the annual event moved to the Monroe Green. Since there wasn’t enough room for storage of the books, the extras would be donated to Goodwill, until one of the leaders of Friends rented out a storage facility to hold the books.
A few years later, the book sale moved to Harmony Grange, before moving again, this time to Masuk High School. For the last six or seven years, the book sale has taken place here at the library.
Most of the books for the sale come as donations and others are books the library doesn’t need anymore. There might be older books or books replaced by newer ones.
Buy books all year
Besides the annual book sale in the lower level of the library, there is another room in the back of the children’s department which also continues the book sale year round. There you can find many different genres of books for low prices.
The room is always open during library hours, which are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Be on the lookout for a new special sale during the month of January, where all books will be half price, DVDs will two-for-a-dollar and music CDs four-for-a-dollar.
