Book and Magazine Sales

Two of the major fund-raisers that the Friends of the Cranbrook Public Library undertake each year are the Spring Magazine Sale and the Fall Book Sale. Can you possibly think of a more natural way for a group to raise money to support an institution such as a community library? The Spring Magazine Sale has grown from a fledgling enterprise to a substantial fund-raiser. Members of the community donate their used magazines in January and February and these are stored away. In the spring volunteers bundle the magazines and move them to the sale site.

In March the Annual Magazine Sale occurs and is staffed by volunteers. The magazines that are not sold are recycled at the end of the sale. In 2010 the Magazine Sale contributed more than $1200 to the work of the Friends of the Library. Plans are under way for 2011. Anyone with magazines for the sale is encouraged to drop them off at the circulation desk of the Cranbrook Public Library. Newer magazines are preferred but older issues of gardening, woodworking, cooking, crafts and history are accepted.

The Annual Fall Book Sale has now grown to be an international event with buyers coming from the U.S. as well as far-flung regions of Canada. The Friends of the Library, working with their event partner the Sunrise Rotary Club of Cranbrook, collect books all year long for this sale. Volunteers sort the books into categories and transport them to a storage facility. Then thousands of volumes are transported to the sale site and set up for the fall sale – you are right, again by volunteers.

The proceeds of this event are divided equally between the partners. The Friends of the Library use their share, approximately $6,500 in 2009, to purchase books and sponsor activities associated with the Cranbrook Public Library. Sunrise Rotary uses their portion for community projects.

The next sale will be held in September or October, 2010. The community donations have made this a highly successful event. Remember that the Friends work with donations year round. The Library will accept donations of books, videos, CDs, cassettes and DVDs, in good condition. If the transporting of donations is a problem, contact us. Textbooks, encyclopedia sets and Reader's Digest Condensed Books must be published within the last ten years.

Both of these events are high energy, fun events. Become a member of the Friends of the Library, volunteer and meet new people of a similar outlook. You won’t be sorry and Cranbrook and the Public Library will be the certain beneficiaries of your support.