Book Sales Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do you need volunteers?
Yes! We need volunteers. Use the online volunteer application, email or call 503-224-9176, to indicate how you would like to help at the sale.
2. How will you know I am a member?
We check our roster of members at the book sale door.
3. What does it cost to join the Friends?
Individual annual membership cost is $10. Family annual membership cost is $15.
4. Why offer book/media sales?
Our mission focuses on advocacy for the library. We offer several options to support that mission:
- twice-yearly book/media sales
- operation of the Friends Store at the Central Library
- online book sales
- membership fees
The more money we earn from these activities, the more money we can give to the Political Action Committee (PAC) that organizes a Libraries YES! campaign during each year Multnomah County develops a budget for approval.
5. What help is needed to make the sales work?
Donate good used books and media! Throughout the year, we ask community members to take these materials to their local library branch (up to two boxes are accepted gladly by the library staff).
If you have more than two boxes, call the Sorting Room at 503-988-6191 for help or take your donation to 216 NE Knott, Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm. Follow the sign for library deliveries and ring the buzzer. We will help you unload the books and issue you a tax receipt.
We also need volunteers for both book sales.
6. What are the donation requirements?
The success of our book sales relies heavily on our commitment to high quality materials that will appeal to our book enthusiasts. We do not take: magazines; Reader’s Digest Condensed Books; older health or computer books, encyclopedias, or textbooks (published morethan five years ago), and any materials in poor condition.
We also accept media: videos, books-on-tape, CDs, DVDs, sheet music and maps.
Full list of material donation criteria
7. How is the money used?
We fully support the Pageturners program sponsored through the library system by purchasing books for the reading groups formed at the local branches.
Library staff members are very creative about developing community support programs in response to local needs. We provide funds on request when our resources permit. We would like to encourage more of these ventures and having a more extensive financial base can make them happen!
