The hunt was on Sunday for the perfect book at the Gainesville branch of the Hall County Library System.
The annual book sale, hosted by Friends of the Hall County Library System, is the system’s biggest fundraiser of the year.
“For a lot of book lovers, it is like a treasure hunt,” said Assistant Library Director Lisa MacKinney. “They are looking for a different kind of buried treasure — it is a bargain that you can’t beat.”
This is the second year the ultimate book sale has been held at the Gainesville branch of the library system.
MacKinny said the sale went very well last year.
“We have been really lucky, and we have had good weather both years, which has been nice because it gets people out of the house,” she said.
Book prices this year ranged from 10 cents for a Harlequin paperback to 50 cents for a hardback.
MacKinney said after a busy day, Saturday’s proceeds for Friends of the Library totaled about $2,500.
The Friends of the Library group is a volunteer organization that serves as the fundraising and advocacy arm of the library system.
MacKinney said the group may make a big contribution to a summer reading program for children with some of the money earned.
“Pretty much what they make in the book sale usually covers the big contribution that they make,” MacKinney said. “That is probably the single biggest expense that they have every year.”
MacKinney said if any money is left over, Friends of the Library will spend it on staff development and purchases for things the library needs.
MacKinney said all the volunteers for the book sale have been very hard-working and dependable, and the sale could not have been possible without them.
Bernice Cox, a volunteer and past president of Friends of the Hall County Library System, was at the library bright and early last Monday, ready to perform her volunteer duties.
“We started just generally sorting because we had boxes and boxes and boxes of books,” Cox said. “The initial thing was starting to separate fiction and non-fiction and children’s books.”
Cox said the book sale is a fun thing, and she has noticed people come out and enjoy it.
“People still love to own a book and buy books for their children and grandchildren,” she said. “They also see people that they haven’t seen in a while and meet book lovers and converse — it is like a camaraderie.”
MacKinney said reading has always been the main hobby of her life.
“Reading takes you to another place,” she said. “You get to forget real life and be immersed in something completely different.”