Books, volunteers needed for library fundraiser

Have some unwanted books lying around or a few hours to spare? Friends of the Fresno County Public Library needs donations and volunteers for its sixth annual Big Book Sale at Sierra Vista Mall.

Some books have already been donated, so volunteers are needed to help sort the books beginning at noon on Monday, Aug. 8.

The big book drive will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, in the Sierra Vista Mall parking lot, said Nancy Kast, president of the board of directors for Friends of the Fresno County Public Library.

“People can come with their books in bags, boxes or loose in the car and we will take the books out of their car,” she said. “They don’t even have to get out of their car if they want to.”

Book donations are also being accepted at local library branches; the donations will be delivered to the book sale site in the mall, Kast said.

The Big Book Sale will be held Thursday, Aug. 17 to Sunday, Aug. 21 in two storefronts in the west end of the mall near Kohl’s, Kast said.

The public is invited to shop for discounted books from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

“On Sunday we do our big sale, where we sell books for $5 a bag,” Kast said. “We give you a grocery bag and whatever you can put in it is $5. It’s kind of our clearance sale.”

Cash, checks and credit cards are all accepted.

The funds raised will be used to support Fresno County Public Library branches.

“The money will go toward furniture, programs, games, whatever might be needed at that branch,” Kast said.

Last year, about $40,000 was raised through the Big Book Sale.

“We hope to do always bigger and better; that’s our goal,” Kast said.

Friends of the Fresno County Public Library divvies up the money to each branch based on the volunteers who show up to represent that branch.

“We’re always looking for volunteers,” Kast said. “If someone wanted to come in and sort books, they would sign in for those hours for whatever branch they wanted to support. In the end we divy up the money according to who participated.”

Any volunteers who show up to represent the Clovis Regional Library will help direct funds to building and furnishing the new Clovis Regional Library planned for Clovis Avenue and 3rd Street.

“We’re all looking forward to that,” Kast said. “It will be good to get a new, big building with adequate parking.”

This story was originally published July 18, 2016 at 4:46 PM with the headline "Books, volunteers needed for library fundraiser."