Summer Used Book Sale is Brand New

By John Smyntek

The saying that “everything old is new again” is getting a major test at the Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library’s Summer Used Book Sale set for August 13-15.

While the sale is at the usual address—the library building at 500 Olde Towne Road in downtown Rochester—it will be the first located in the library’s new second floor addition in a space dedicated to the Friends’ used book operation. The new area was completed late in the spring and the library parking lots have returned to full capacity after being partially reduced by construction equipment.

The Community Edge covered the addition and renovation in June.

So what’s new about the sales among the Friends’ oldest ongoing events? All the books will be on shelving and categorized according to content, making browsing a much less taxing exercise. Previous sales were held on temporary tables in the library’s entry corridor and multi-purpose room that required buyers to manually work through a wide variety of titles and required lots of volunteer muscle to move volumes into the area for the sale.

Proceeds from the event go to the Friends, the Rochester Hills Public Library’s primary volunteer support group. The Friends fund many library needs and improvements beyond its public budget.

As usual, Friends members (new members can join upon entry) get to take part in a pre-sale, set for Wednesday, August 12, from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.

The general sale open to the public then takes place as follows:

• Thursday, August 13, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Friday, August 14, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, August 15, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Come early for the best selection. Please note, the library is closed on Sundays in the summer, so the sale runs just the hours above.

Information on the sale and membership in the Friends group is available at 248-650-7178 or via the internet at www.rhpl.org and click on the Friends’ tab.