After the demise last summer of its bookstore, BookEnds, now the site of the madhouse that is the Office of Vital Statistics on the first floor of its downtown branch, the Dallas Public Library turned to moving its surplus stock with biannual clearance sales. The summer sale is set for Aug. 12 and 13 at the J. Erik Jonsson central branch, the library announced today.
About 40,000 books (print and audio), CDs, and DVDs will be on sale at exceptionally low prices, which, as far as we’re concerned, makes this the social event of late summer in Dallas. Members of the Friends of the Dallas Public Library gets first dibs the evening of Aug. 11. Everybody else can dive in from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 12, and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 13.
Here’s the news release from FODPL:
It’s summer clearance time – at the Dallas Public Library.
Following the success of its inaugural book sale last January, the Friends of the Dallas Public Library (FODPL) is hosting the summertime edition on Saturday, August 12, and Sunday, August 13, at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in downtown Dallas.
All proceeds benefit the 29-branch library system and its programs.
FODPL Executive Director Kate Park said she expects about 40,000 print books, audio books, CDs and DVDs will be up for grabs at bargain prices.
“All library sales are a wonderful treasure hunt, and this is the biggest,” she said.
For 30 years, the library sold off surplus items at its BookEnds store at the downtown library. The store closed last summer when the city’s Office of Vital Statistics took over the space, so the items are now stockpiled for big sales twice a year.
The public sale will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. But the treasure hunt starts early for FODPL members, who will get first access to the sale on Friday, August 11, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
“It’s a great reason to join a great organization,” Park said.
FODPL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that advocates for the Dallas Public Library and supports its programs. Annual memberships, which begin at $25 and are tax deductible, are available at www.fodpl.org and at the sale on Friday night.
The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library is located at 1515 Young Street in downtown Dallas, across the street from Dallas City Hall. For more information, log on to www.fodpl.org.
