The word treasure hunter conjures up images of prospectors panning for gold or Indiana Jones snatching up an ancient artifact that belongs in a museum, but stop by Victoria Public Library and you’ll see a treasure hunter of a different sort.
There, in the library’s Bronte Room, instead of glimmering gems and archaic antiques you’ll find tables filled end to end with something just as valuable: books. The books in the Bronte Room are part of the Friends of the Library book sale, and, provided you can pony up the 50 cents-$1 fee per book, they can be yours.
The sale has everything from science fiction to horror, romance to mystery and everything in between to be found. The laminated dust jackets that protect the hardcover novels shine under the room’s lights, and the paperbacks wear every crease on their spine like badges of honor representing every reader who has ever cracked them open.
It’s such a popular sale and good deal that people travel not just from out of town, but out of the county to take advantage of it.
“The local libraries where we’re at don’t do this, so it’s worth the 45 minute drive for us,” Maria Montes, of Louise, said. This was Montes’ second time shopping in the book sale, and she came prepared with her husband and a bag to carry the self-help books she planned to buy.
A room full of used books may be a typical sight at a library, but a selection of thousands of used books at the Victoria Public Library are up for sale, not to check out.
Readers will have the opportunity to browse through and purchase the books all week. The sale is organized by the Friends of the Library, and the proceeds will go toward supporting the library and the different events it hosts throughout the year, Friends of the Library president Diana Sneed said.
“There’s a book in there for everybody, so everybody should come on down and take a look,” Sneed said.
The money raised through the book sale will go toward library events like the summer reading program, Decembers gingerbread workshop, crafting sessions and more, Sneed said.
“The more money we can raise through book sales, memberships, sponsorships and donations, the more money that the library has to provide these extra opportunities for the community,” she said.
The Friends of the Library hope to raise $10,000 through the book sale, Sneed said.
The library hosts over 200 events a year, VPL assistant director Jessica Berger said.
“Everything is free because the Friends absorb that cost,” she said.
The books in the sale are organized by genre, but outside of that, it’s a mystery what’s on the tables.
“You just have to come in and browse,” Sneed said. “We’ve had people find first edition books or books autographed by the author.”
Some of the books come from the library itself as they weed out and replace older books, Sneed said, but others are donated from community members. The library accepts book donations year round.
“When the book sale is over, we’re already preparing for the one that’s coming up in May,” Sneed said. “And when the one in May is over, we’re preparing for the one in September.”
On Saturday, the sale’s final day, there will be a special offer for those that have a Friends of the Library book bag, Sneed said. For $1, readers can fill their bag with as many books, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks they can find. For those who don’t already have a Friends of the Library book bag, they are for sale at the library.