Posted on 18 March 2025 by Chris Brown.
Ten months since the last book sale at Medicine Hat Public Library, excitement is in the air here and in the community.
Run by the Friends of the Medicine Hat Public Library, the Spring Book Sale is on April 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Book sale days are some of the busiest at MHPL and there is always a long line at the door before we open.
Friends member Sue Masterman says often people who come to buy books and end up getting a library card while they’re here.
“It's exciting to perhaps introduce new people to the library, as well as welcome back a host of people who make it make it their opportunity to buy books once or twice a year,” she says.
The volunteer Friends group raises funds for the library in a variety of ways. Book sales are by far its largest fund-raising activity, bringing in around $5,000 each time.
Sue says all the money goes back to the library in one way or another.
“Sometimes the library has a greater need, for example the nursing area for mothers or something for the children's library. But sometimes it will be a smaller item as well, perhaps chairs,” she says.
Everything sold at the book sale come from donations by the public - who Sue says are always very, very generous – and discarded materials from our collection.
We began accepting donations on Sunday and by Monday at noon the drop-off spot behind the theatre was filled. Members from the Friends group were in Tuesday morning to start sorting and will be in a few more times before the sale.
Gently-used fiction and non-fiction books for all ages, DVDs, CDs, magazines and board games will be accepted for sale. Textbooks, encyclopedias, VHS tapes, cassettes, vinyl records and items more than 15 years old will not be accepted.
We’ll be taking donations until March 30. Please take your donations to the tables behind the theatre on the lower level.
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