They're bound to sell | Book lovers gather for library book sale

Book lovers peruse the stock stacks on Friday at the Friends of the Library book sale, which took place at the Texarkana Public Library. These sales events will be held twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Normally held outside, a previously postponed event and weather forecast drove the spring sale indoors.
Book lovers peruse the stock stacks on Friday at the Friends of the Library book sale, which took place at the Texarkana Public Library. These sales events will be held twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Normally held outside, a previously postponed event and weather forecast drove the spring sale indoors.

TEXARKANA, Texas Friends of the Library's book sale kicked off on Friday, featuring several hundred books of a wide range of genres, for both adults and children.

Books could be had for bargain basement prices and holders of a library card could take away a book for free. Customers also got free lemonade and cookies.

"Friends of the Library is a nonprofit organization that gathers books from various sources and resells them" said Barbara Elam, a volunteer for the organization as well as a board member. FotL was founded in 1981. "The Texarkana Public Library gets the proceeds from this sale, as well as some of the funds from our other activities during the year."

This is the second FotL book sale this year, the previous having been held in the fall. The group plans on having these sales twice a year moving forward.

"The FotL normally opens their own building once a month to sell books," said Joshua Oden, head of technology for the library as well as a board member. "But our building was closed on the outset of COVID. So we have started up these sales."

Morgan Chance, public service librarian for the Texarkana Public Library, was key organizer in the sale. She sees the sales as a win-win for the library.

"This brings people to the library and helps bring in customers for the sale," she said.

Hazel Cotton of Texarkana, Texas, is one of those perusing the stacks there at the sale and took a stack away for herself, her second one of the day.

"I'm out of stuff to read, so I came for the deals," she said. "I hate reading online, I'd rather sit on my couch with a book. I don't mind reading news online but I don't read electronic books. Audiobooks, yes, electronic, no."

Friends of the Library are searching for a new building to house their books.

"The rent in our current location is good, but it is really not the best place for a bookstore," said Elam. "We are a nonprofit and are seeking a new space with similarly low overhead. If anyone has any suggestions, give us a call at 903-701-6164."

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