The Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library had its book sale this past weekend, possibly its biggest and most popular event.
Bradford residents are treated to the library book sale three times each year; one in autumn, winter, and spring. The event, run by the Friends of the Library, and helps the library discard its old and unused collections to make way for new ones. The sale also consists of donations from the public. The proceeds help fund future library programs and events. Any items not sold are typically given to Better World Books, an organization dedicated to donating books to those in need.
“As we bring in new books, we have to discard the old, damaged or less popular books which are then sorted and evaluated by the Friends to sell. It keeps the books in circulation as much as possible, so they don’t go to waste," Nina Cunniff, the deputy CEO of the library, explains.
The event has gained much popularity among locals as Cunniff and her staff now see lineups outside the building each day of the sale before the library opens.
Friends of the Library is a volunteer organization, registered charity, and sub-committee of Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library. The organization has been around for over 30 years with the mandate of raising funds solely for Bradford’s library system. One hundred per cent of the proceeds go directly to the library, usually in the amount of $3,000 to $4,000 per event; that’s roughly $12,000 annually for the library.
Friends of the Library managed to raise enough money to upgrade the front doors of the building, which used to be large, heavy glass doors but have since been replaced with automatic sliding doors. They have also contributed to the improved lighting in the program room and materials needed for children’s programs.
As for the book sale customers, they were offered items priced as low as $1, which allowed booklovers to easily stock up on new reads.
“You don’t need a lot of money to buy decent books from our collection,” Cunniff adds. “We have teachers come in and buy boxes of children’s books for their classroom collection.” The children’s section was already noticeably empty after one day of the sale.
Milt Calder, former chair of the Bradford Library Board, is treasurer for Friends of the Library and is the lead organizer of the book sale. He joined the organization 20 years ago after a long career in the library system.
“I’ve been involved with libraries ever since I was eight years old,” Calder says. “Ever since I stepped into a library and saw all those books, I’ve always loved them.”
He estimates that roughly 2,000 children’s books and 2,000 adult books are sold at each event.
Friends of the Library is looking for new volunteers to help with events like the book sale. If interested, email the library about volunteering, inquire with a member at an event, or attend one of the committee meetings on the first Tuesday of each month.
Look out for the next book sale at Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library taking place in January.
