Readers rejoice at outdoor book sale
Jul 9, 2020
Kevin Oliver bought some DVDs at the book sale on Thursday afternoon. Priscilla Porter worked the cash register for The Friends of the Wareham Free Library. Photos by: Kenneth Borges
Becki, Dan, and Eileen Alden browsed for books at the sale.
Profits from the book sale will directly benefit the library.
The Friends of the Wareham Free Library hosted their first event in months on July 9.
Books were separated into sections, and tables were spaced out at least six feet apart.
Organizers closed up shop around 4 p.m.
In their first event since shutting down because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Friends of the Wareham Free Library hosted an outdoor, socially distanced book sale on Thursday, July 9, much to the delight of some avid readers.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. nearly 100 people stopped by the library’s parking lot to shop for books. All shoppers had to wear face masks and sanitize their hands before browsing for books.
Tables were spaced at least six feet apart, and the Friends limited the book sale to about six shoppers at a time, asking others to wait in their cars or come back later to avoid packed crowds.
President of the Friends of the Wareham Free Library Priscilla Porter said that she plans on hosting the outdoor sales every other Thursday in the coming weeks, with a rain date on Fridays.
She said the first outdoor sale was a success, as 93 shoppers had attended by 3:30 p.m.
Becki Alden went to the sale to buy books for her grandmother Eileen.
At 94-years-old, Eileen is a voracious reader, who usually reads a new book each day. Becki’s father Dan Alden worked as a master pressman for the Rand McNally publishing company.
When she was growing up, Becki said that her family of readers and printers “always had tons and tons and tons of books in the house.”
On Thursday afternoon, Becki and Dan bought Eileen 15 books, enough to last her a couple weeks.
Others at the book sale shared the Alden’s enthusiasm.
“I think [the book sale] is great, the library is my favorite place,” Kevin Oliver said.
He added that it was “highly frustrating” when the library was completely shut down, but the self described “daily user” of the library can now return for curbside pickup and outdoor sales.
On Thursday afternoon, Oliver picked up a handful of DVDs.
Profits from the book sale will go to support the Wareham Free Library.
Most hardcover books were sold for $1, and paperbacks for $0.50. Kids books were sold for $0.25. Books published in 2017 or newer were slightly more expensive at about $2 to $3.
The Friends are not currently accepting book donations. For more information on the Wareham Free Library, call 508-295-2678.
