Thursday, August 21, 2014

Oh, joy! The Locust Grove Used Book Sale Begins Tomorrow


Going out the door...

The Locust Grove Used Book Sale is this weekend. I am very excited as I have found many, many treasures at this twice-a-year event. Perhaps too many treasures.

Nevertheless, I plan on binge-buying tomorrow. As a penance for my inability to pass up a book bargain, I have just spent the past thirty minutes or so going through my bookshelves in search of books to donate to the sale. I have done this the past couple of sales and usually find six or eight books to donate even though I come away with two or three more than I take. 

This morning I was ruthless. I found twenty books to take with me tomorrow which, according to my faithful tape measure, frees up about twenty inches of bookshelf space. 

Most of the books I will be donating are paperbacks that I have read or for which I have since purchased the hardcover edition. Quite a few are books I bought at this very book sale over the years. 

Some of the things I have learned about attending this sale:

I take my own cloth book bag; it makes it so much easier to carry books I plan on buying as I wander the aisles.

The sale is very well organized and there is always a large selection of vintage hardcover books that I am drawn to immediately. After that I check out the fiction and mystery (these are mostly softcover editions), travel, and children's categories. 

Even though the space is small, which I like as I am easily
overwhelmed, I know that I will only be able to last about an hour and then I am finished. Time to pay up; paperbacks $1, hardcovers $2.

Finally, I remind myself to breathe and not to panic. It is easy to swoon in the presence of so many books, but I know that just the right books with find their way into my bag.  And besides, I can always go back Saturday and Sunday.

I can hardly wait! 

10 comments:

  1. Is there anything better than a used book sale? I have to admit, I'm a little jealous. :) And VERY impressed that you cleared up twenty inches of bookshelf space! Sounds like you can go book shopping with a clear conscience. Hope you find lots of wonderful books to bring home!

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    1. Twenty inches sounds like a lot of shelf space, but I fear it may not be enough, Lark. We shall see...

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  2. Oh, Belle, have fun - and I hope you will share some of your treasures with us. I love these events, though I missed the big AAUW one nearby this year.

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    1. Yes, Penny, I look forward to these sales. It gives me a chance to cull my own collection, buy new (used) books, and help out a historic home. A triple play!

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  3. Book Sale: two of my very favourite words! I hope you find treasure.

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    1. You are so right, Vicki. I posted today about my finds.

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  4. Sounds like heaven to me, Belle. I wish I could come with you. I have just the same reactions: initial euphoria and then overwhelm. The nice thing is that if you miss something at first, at least you can come back on another day to pick it up.

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    1. This is such a great book sale, Kathy. Very well organized and the tables are constantly being refreshed with new treasures. I am fighting the urge to go back today!

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  5. Good luck, have fun! I can't wait to read about what you find at the sale. I used to go to some great library sales in New England, but I'm often carless in Philly and don't get to go to the library sales outside the city.

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    1. The proceeds from this sale, Joan, go to the historic home of Locust Grove. The major library sales are way too overwhelming for me, but I do find some real jewels at the branches that now have a table or two of donated books for sale. Always great fun shopping.

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