WESTFIELD Mark you calendar. The dates for the annual Friends of the Westfield Library Book Sale has been set for April 6, 7, and 8. The sale will take place in the Lang Auditorium of the Westfield Library on Elm Street. This sale is very popular, and has become the largest fund-raiser for the Friends of the Athenaeum group, whose purpose is to promote, expand and assist the programs of the city library. The hours of the sale will be expanded slightly this year. Doors will open at 4 p.m. on April 6, and will close at 8 p.m. A $2.00 admission will be charged on opening day. Admission is free the remainder of the sale. Friday hours will run from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday hours, when all books are marked down to half price, will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be thousands of books for sale covering nearly every imaginable topic. Aside from a small amount of library discards, area residents donate the majority of the books. Volunteers sort the books into over 20 different categories. Although there will be some specially marked unique, unusual or rare books as well as a variety of book sets, the price for most hard covers will be $1, and paperbacks are 50 cents a piece. Videotapes, cassettes, compact discs, audio books and jigsaw puzzles will also be available, with prices of $1 or less. We also have a separate area where the Friends offer books for children and young adult books, all at very reasonable prices. Book donations are now being accepted. The committee is collecting books of all types, including fiction, non-fiction, cooking, gardening, travel, nature, fitness, history, biography, mystery and sports, both hard cover and paperback. The Friends are also looking for donations of books for children and teens, such as picture books, easy readers, chapter books and young adult. Donations may be dropped off at the front desk of the library during regular business hours. Bulk pick-up is available for large donations by calling 562-1596. Please leave a message. The Friends cannot accept Reader's Digest condensed books, old textbooks or old magazines, including National Geographic. The Friends of the Westfield Athenaeum was created in 1995. Over $80,00 has been raised since inception and given through direct contribution to support the Athenaeum and its programming. Membership is open to anyone for a yearly $5 fee, and membership forms are available at the front desk of the library. |