I’ve lived on Bainbridge Island for 2 years now. Although I often complain about how expensive it is to live here, there is one up-side to island living: there is virtually no place to shop. I’m not a big shopper to begin with, but living here has virtually cured me of even the slightest inclination to whip out the credit card and buy stuff.
However, I have really missed shopping for books. I love books. I love being in a bookstore, surrounded by pages and pages of written words. They simultaneously excite and calm me. So it has been a bit of a disappointment to live in a place with just one (overpriced) little book store.
Then, I discovered the Friends of the Library Book Sale. I’ve seen signs for this sale every month since I’ve lived here. I’ve even stopped by the library occasionally and glanced in the little room in the basement of the library where the sale is held. It never looked very promising. I envisioned a small selection of uninteresting books; I assumed it was the same inventory month after month. Just another way for the old Friends of the Library women to pass their time.
Boy, was I wrong! I was in the library on Tuesday with Micah and he wandered over to the book sale while I was checking out our library books. He came out with an armful of great books – classics, children’s books, science books, DVDs – all priced for 25-50 cents! I could feel the force puuulllliiiinnngggg me in . . .
I left with a small mountain of books that I bought for only $11! Turns out that it's not just s few shelves of old National Geographic magazines or Java Script manuals. It is two large rooms, jam-packed with well-organized, great quality stuff!
However, I have really missed shopping for books. I love books. I love being in a bookstore, surrounded by pages and pages of written words. They simultaneously excite and calm me. So it has been a bit of a disappointment to live in a place with just one (overpriced) little book store.
Then, I discovered the Friends of the Library Book Sale. I’ve seen signs for this sale every month since I’ve lived here. I’ve even stopped by the library occasionally and glanced in the little room in the basement of the library where the sale is held. It never looked very promising. I envisioned a small selection of uninteresting books; I assumed it was the same inventory month after month. Just another way for the old Friends of the Library women to pass their time.
Boy, was I wrong! I was in the library on Tuesday with Micah and he wandered over to the book sale while I was checking out our library books. He came out with an armful of great books – classics, children’s books, science books, DVDs – all priced for 25-50 cents! I could feel the force puuulllliiiinnngggg me in . . .
I left with a small mountain of books that I bought for only $11! Turns out that it's not just s few shelves of old National Geographic magazines or Java Script manuals. It is two large rooms, jam-packed with well-organized, great quality stuff!
I. Was. In. Heaven.
I now have a nice bookmark on my fridge, listing all of the upcoming book sales (they have 3 per month, each with new inventory!)
(contented sigh . . . ) Now we can officially stay on BI.
6 comments:
I feel so bad you didn't know how great the Library's book sales are until now! I love to go, too. Sometimes I find tons of great books, others not so many, but I love to browse. And I don't feel so bad buying a book and then not reading it since they're so cheap! If I end up with one that's not so great, I just donate it back.
It nice to have book stores near by and going to see what they have. Yes, my mom is doing that book club.
Do you remember the book sales at Sand Point? Wow, we would pick up as many books as we could carry at those -- well over fifty books at a time. The Indianapolis Public Library closed/renovated a branch while we lived there, so at one book sale we managed to pick up most of the DK Eyewitness books for a song. Good times....
Since then, I have had access only to the "friends of the library" book sales here and in CA -- little shops that have a bunch of trashy novels and not much else. Thank goodness I splurged on a Kindle. :-)
What!?!? Have I never mentioned how great the library book sales are? I adore the sales. I find the best books and get so excited to go to them. We'll have to go get those free waffles next time and head over!
Lol, Brooke. I've overbought at the lib sale without a twinge of budget-mindedness too! But c'mon, Eagle Harbor Bookstore is a gem, no?
did ya notice there's another sale this week....? :)
maybe N can build shelves on the deck?
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