It is a book lover’s dream and a massive win for local libraries. Day one of the 18th annual Big Book Sale kicked off in Guelph on Thursday, drawing huge crowds on the hunt for page-turners at low prices. Local business owner Kieran Dunn was among the dozens waiting in line long before the doors opened. “We got here over an hour early, almost two hours early,” said Dunn, who owns Janus Books in downtown Guelph. “I feel like a kid in a candy store.” Dunn was stocking up for his shop, expecting to walk out with about 500 titles on the first day alone. “We’re always looking for the classics,” Dunn said. “We’re looking for really interesting things that I’ve never seen before. That’s always fun.” Eager readers and collectors filed into the warehouse at 440 Elmira Road North with big bags, boxes and shopping carts, ready to search through thousands of donated items. Guelph resident Jen Closs was digging through the shelves to grab books for “Out on the Shelf,” an inclusive community library. “A lot of them are non-fiction that are resource books, supporting families and people in the LGBTQ community,” Closs said. “[It’s] a little bit overwhelming. Lots of people here, but, everybody is pretty friendly,” Closs said. The event’s popularity mostly comes down to affordability. Mass-market paperbacks sell for $1, trade paperbacks for $3, and hardcover books for $4. “The community donates books for the book sale, and then they come and buy books and maybe recycle them the next year back to the book sale,” said Lynn Allen, chair of the book sale committee. Organized by the Friends of the Guelph Public Library and powered by 250 volunteers, the event is a major fundraiser. All proceeds go directly back to support local libraries. To date, the sale has raised $1.2 million for local libraries. “We take in probably $120,000 this year,” Allen said. “We have expenses, and so we may have net gains of $95,000 to $110,000.” While opening day required a $10 admission fee, entry is free for the remainder of the event, which runs through Sunday.
