For immediate release | February 28, 2012

A library book sale how-to guide

CHICAGO — A tried-and-true method to raise funds while engaging the community, library book sales can be a win-win situation—if done correctly. Published by ALA Editions, “A Book Sale How-To Guide: More Money, Less Stress” shows readers how to do just that, using case histories from three successful ongoing programs. Authors and book sale veterans Pat Ditzler and JoAnn Dumas point out specific ways to run a sale to ensure maximum financial benefit while building community support, covering everything from setup to cleanup, on-site money matters and financial control. Readers will learn:

  • The best strategies for gathering and processing donations throughout the year;
  • How to organize teams of volunteers to solicit, sort, price and manage the physical inventory of books, videos, CDs and records;
  • The importance of building momentum from one book sale to the next by recruiting a permanent team of volunteers;
  • How the Internet can be used to increase sales.

Ditzler is the current chair of the Lancaster (Pa.) Public Library book sale, having worked at the sale for 26 years in many capacities. A past president of the Lancaster Public Library board of trustees, she was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 by the State of Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries.

Dumas has worked at many library book sales across the country, including Lancaster, Pa. and Oro Valley, Ariz. She serves on the board of the Oro Valley Public Library as director of book sale operations and was honored in 2011 as Volunteer of the Decade.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. ALA Editions publishes resources used worldwide by tens of thousands of library and information professionals to improve programs, build on best practices, develop leadership, and for personal professional development. ALA authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a growing range of print and electronic formats. Contact ALA Editions at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5418 or editionsmarketing@ala.org.

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