Cape Library friends hold annual sale

It's a book lover's dream: Books, books everywhere, and cheap for the buying.

The Friends of the Library Foundation will be holding its annual book sale this weekend at the Cape Girardeau Public Library, where a wide variety of books will be available.

In nonfiction, browsers will find such categories as arts and crafts, science, health, business and biographies. Fictional books will include westerns and mysteries. There will be reference books, literature books, children's books and young adult books. There will be hardbacks, paperbacks and magazines.

A few book sets, including an older set of childcraft books and encyclopedias, were donated for the sale this year, said Paula Gresham, the library's adult services coordinator.

"We try not to take reference-type materials that are too old, but I think those childcraft books will sell regardless of their publishing date," Gresham said. "Some books like that just don't get out of date."

Bargain-hunter book prices

Hardcover books will sell for $1 each, children's books for 50 cents and paperbacks for 25 cents. Books on tape and videos will sell for $1. A few older selections such as the "Correspondence of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson" published in 1925 and some old Zane Grey novels will cost between $2 and $10. A 10-volume set called the "Best of the World Classics" published in 1909 will be sold as a set for $25.

Newer editions on the block include former best-seller hardbacks by John Grisham, Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts; a Time Life set on World War II; the 2001 Standard and Poors financial reference set; and the "2000 Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide."

Additional items to be sold include some computer software and metal library stepping stools.

The sale runs from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Friends members are invited to a special preview hour from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday.

Anyone may join the Friends organization at the door for $15.

Fundraiser helps library

This weekend's fundraiser will aid the Friends foundation in supporting projects such as the children and adult summer reading program.

Last year, the organization used some of the money to buy a book display case, and already on tap for next fall is a program to coincide with the Lewis and Clark bicentennial. Gresham says the library will be hosting a Sacajawea impersonator.

The sale is organized and staffed by members of the Friends foundation, the library board and the local Zonta Club. Last year, the sale made $3,347.

jgosche@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133