Friends themselves are heart of sale


As the last book sale in the Friends Bookstore approaches on Saturday, March 29, we would like to honor the folks who have devoted their every Friday and their every last Saturday of every month to making it such a tremendous success.

It would not be too presumptuous to say that the Book Sale Committee has cared for the charming and cozy house like a baby, guiding its every step and every book placement. As Friends Book Sales committee cochair Janet Jones, who began her duty in 1996, noted, “It’s the end of an era really.” Fellow co-chairs Jim and Barbara Prestridge have been with the book sale since 1992 when the Friends first began holding once-a-year sales in the Whitley House that lasted for a week at a time.

Though all share that sentimental feeling about leaving a spot so cozy and familiar, where library patrons could readily “discover” the sale because of proximity to the library, all are excited about the prospects of introducing the sale and the library to a new clientele at the location at 226 Sunset Avenue, which the City of Asheboro has so generously made available to the Friends.

Et Hacskaylo and Blanche Keller, book lovers both, have sorted and categorized incoming books, going so far as putting together topical reading lists, such as the ever popular Oprah Book Club selections. Fellow co-sorter and avid reader Rusty Hammond has enjoyed working the Book Sale.

“It is truly amazing the selections we get in. I don’t think people realize that a very small percentage of our books are library discards — most are gifts. Our selection is better than most used book stores,” Hammond says.

The new hours coincide with those of the Asheboro Farmers Market located around the corner on Church Street. No book sale will be held in April at the bookshop building is renovated.

The sales, held monthly since 1996 and annually before that, feature books, videos and like items given as gifts to the library that the library cannot use, and items withdrawn from the library collection. The sales always draw crowds, and all proceeds go to the library’s book budget.

The first sale in the current location, the former Whitley House, was held on September 26, 1992, and lasted six days. Previous sales were held at Randolph Mall’s Center Court and in the meeting room of the library.

“It’s the end of an era, really,” says Janet Jones, co-chair of the Friends Book Sale committee. “We’ve enjoyed working in the little house with so much character, but we’re looking forward to our new opportunity on Sunset Avenue and the added exposure it will afford the library.”

The sale is staffed entirely by Friends of the Library volunteers.