Thanks to everyone who helped us collect used books on Saturday and Sunday — thanks to the donors, thanks to the volunteers, thanks to the drivers who kept their cool when the lineup to drop off books caused a teensy traffic jam every now and then.
How many books were donated? That’s hard to say, but we filled 160 pallets, many of them stacked above my head.
As about 100 volunteers sort the books, getting them ready for the big sale on May 4 and May 5 at the Victoria Curling Club on Quadra Street, three things are worthy of note.
First, we were busier on Sunday than we were on Saturday. That was a first, which is saying something since we have been doing drop-off weekends once a year since 1998.
That helped to moderate the flow of vehicles, which helped keep traffic disruptions to a minimum and helped keep our volunteers from wearing out. So, thanks for that.
“Everything went smoothly,” Mark Taylor, the lead volunteer, told me. “The community support is terrific.”
Second, the book drive and subsequent sale are all about raising money for school libraries and literacy work. The sale brings in most money, but we also get donations.
This year, Mike from Sooke clipped $5 bills to seven of the books he donated and challenged others to do the same. Neat idea. I don’t have his last name, so all I can say is … thanks, Mike!
Third, Cliff McNeil-Smith from Tanner’s Books in Sidney donated 55 (55!) boxes of new books. Some of the books have slight damage, others are in mint shape. McNeil-Smith says he knew when the Times Colonist Literacy Society delivered its cheques to schools, because he saw an uptick in sales to school libraries. That’s great to hear — shopping at local stores helps the entire community.
But back to the sorting being done by all those volunteers. They have less than two weeks to get things ready for the big sale, which is one of the biggest events of the year for booklovers in Greater Victoria and beyond.
Want to volunteer? Just go to the curling club between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays and ask for Mark or Jane.
On May 4 and 5, a few thousand people will line up for a chance to buy those books. Proceeds will go, as I mentioned, to literacy organizations and school libraries. We’ve already given almost $7 million, and we’ve only just begun. An event such as the Times Colonist book sale will be here for many more years.
This is one of the largest book sales in North America.
The Times Colonist provides organizational help and publicity for the sale, but the greatest credit goes to readers — thanks for donating these, thanks for buying those — as well as our eager, dedicated, passionate, helpful volunteers.
Those volunteers make sure the books are sorted so you can find exactly the gem that you are looking for. Every year, a remarkable cross-section of the community comes together to make the sale a great success. What do they have in common? Their love of reading and their commitment to literacy.
The book sale takes place on Saturday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the curling club at 1952 Quadra St.
Dave Obee is editor and publisher of the Times Colonist.
