What is the book depot?
The book depot is a location within the book sale where customers can store books that they plan to purchase. All items dropped off at the book depot intake station are considered sold; you will not be able to remove items after dropping them off withour intake volunteers. While you continue shopping, we total your cost in order to expedite your checkout. Once you have paid for your purchase, volunteers will assist you in loading them into your vehicle. No need to carry heavy boxes around the sales floor or--bring them to the book depot!
Is the book sale open to the public?
Yes, the book sale is open to the public. The only night you have to be a member is Friday evening, which is our Members-Only preview sale. You can join online or at the door to become a member. The sale is free and open to the public Saturday - Monday. On Sunday, educators receive 50% off their purchases with a valid school ID and on Monday all purchases are 50% off.
Where can I park? Is it free?
There are many ways to get to our book sale. There is paid street parking as well as the DoubleTree parking garage on site. Parking is not free, but when you exit the sale, you can pick up a voucher for $3 parking in the DoubleTree parking garage. For those using public transportation, the sale is located near the Lloyd Center max stop and bus lines.
All of the items we sell come to us through donations from the general public. Without donations from community members like you, we would not be able to hold such large sales with books in wonderful condition. Our sorting room staff and volunteers work tirelessly to sort, categorize and price our donated books for sale in the Friends Library Store, through our Online and Specialty Sales on Amazon and eBay, and at our Spring, Fall, and holiday sales. At the library's request, certain genres are sorted specifically for distribution through Library Outreach Services throughout the year.
Where do you get your great selection?
We are not able to accept book donations at this time. You can donate your gently used items three ways. You can take up to two boxes/bags to any local library branch; this limit is due to space limitations on the trucks transporting items between branches and to our sorting center. You can also bring them to our donation center at 216 NE Knott Street, or, if you are physically unable to deliver your donation, you can call us at 503-988-6191 to schedule a pick up. Before donating, please make sure that you carefully review our donation guidelines. Please do not bring donations to our sale locations, as we do not have the space available to store them.
How can I donate items?
Our work is made possible with the help of hundreds of volunteers. You can volunteer at our fall and spring book sales, at the Friends Library Store located in Central Library, in our Book Sorting Room, or by becoming a board member. Check out our volunteer page for more specific information and to fill out an application.
How can I volunteer?
The money we raise during our biannual book sales is used as supplemental funding for library programs and services. We help fund the Pageturners book group at all library branches, National Library Workers Day events, and the Adult Summer Reading Program among other things.
What do you do with the money you make?
Please email your request to Jackie Starr (jackie.starr@friends-library.org) and attach a letter on your organization's letterhead that includes your nonprofit's mission and Tax ID number, as well as the genre(s) in which you are looking to glean. At the end of the sale, we keep some books to sell in other venues. The remaining inventory is donated to Friends of Sandy Library.
How can my non-profit glean?
We accept VISA/MC/Disc/AMEX.
What credit cards are accepted?
We want to know how you heard about the sale so we can improve our marketing and outreach. We survey customers in the line for book counting rather than at the exit door so that our volunteer exit monitors can focus on checking receipts, providing parking vouchers, and assisting with loading of large purchases.
