Book hunters turn out in force
"I wouldn't miss this, it's always fun." Library content manager Shannon Simpson
When Palmerston North City Library staff arrived at work on Friday morning, the queue for the first day of the three-day book sale had already formed.
‘‘People had been queueing from at least 8am, and kept asking ‘are you opening yet?’’ said librarian Maria Shiva.
When the doors did open at 9.30am Shiva said ‘‘there was a huge rush and the place was full straight away’’.
The attraction was obvious. 40,000 items including DVDS, CDS, puzzles and magazines, culled from stock to make room for new purchases, were selling for between $1 and $4.
Library content manager Shannon Simpson said the ‘‘enthusiasm’’ and party atmosphere was comparable to past book sales.
‘‘I wouldn’t miss this, always fun.
‘‘We really enjoy seeing people’s love for books.’’
Crammed into the library’s Events Central on George St, a long line presented at the checkouts as customers clutching piles of books waited to pay for their bargains, while staff processed purchases with friendly efficiency. it’s
Emma Jayasuriya, with her 18-month-old son Noah and nephew Oscar Fox, was camped out in a quieter corner of the packed room evaluating a pile of $1 children’s books she had scooped off the tables.
‘‘We’re looking for books about tractors for Noah. He is obsessed.
‘‘He doesn’t have many words but tractor was his first.’’
A regular at the annual library book sale, this time Jayasuriya hadn’t even looked at the adult tables.
‘‘Things have changed for me. These days it’s all about the kids.’’
Judylee Mortensen had grabbed a bag or two of mainly thrillers and crime novels, including a heaping helping of Lee Child books ‘‘to go with the ones I already have’’.
‘‘I’m about to buy a house and need books for the bookcase,’’ Mortensen said.
Customers were asked to bring their own bags in the interests of sustainability.
Those who didn’t, or who had under-estimated the number of books they would be buying, were offered that good old standby, a banana box, to take away their purchases.
The Great Living Room Book sale continues until 4pm today and from 12pm - 4pm on Sunday.