Friends of the Library Book Sale Haul

I love our little town library, and stop by frequently to pick up books I have on hold.  A few weeks ago when Gary and I stopped in to pick up some of my books I noticed the Friends of the Library Book sale was going on.  Of course we had to pop in and do a little book treasure hunting.

It was a Sunday, and the last day of the sale, so I figured it would be pretty well picked over, but still worth a shot.  Since it was the last day of the sale, we were informed that as many books as you could fit into a paper grocery store bag would only be $3.00.  What a deal!  Gary stocked up on a nice supply of his favorite adventure novels, and I found quite a few interesting books.  Here are some of my favorite finds.

I got a great book from 1972 called Inns and Villages of England, full of interesting black and white pictures of English villages. I look forward to sitting down and browsing through the old pictures! :)  Also an old National Geographic book- World Beneath the Sea from 1967 - I love looking at vintage pictures and seeing all of the old equipment, and vintage outfits, not to mention great marine life photos.  The little red book was the first treasure I found, a 1972 copy of one of my childhood favorites- Encyclopedia Brown. The really cool thing about this book is it came from a Multnomah County Library, which is the county I grew up in as a child, and Encyclopedia Brown books were one of my favorite series to read back then, so sort of a treasure from my childhood.

I found a Corrie Ten Boon book, I have always wanted to read one of her books, so it was fun to find a copy of one, Corrie Ten Boon's family helped hide persecuted Jews during World War 2, and as a result she ended up spending time in a concentration camp, when she was released she began traveling the world doing mission work and telling her story.  I also found an interesting looking cookbook, from 1950 with recipes from preachers wives with devotionals for Homemakers- I love vintage recipe books as well as vintage Homemaker literature, so this mid-century book should be a fun one to browse through.

I found a practically brand new looking copy of Affluenza, a very interesting book I have read before and would enjoy reading again about the epidemic of over-consumption.  I love tips for living more simply so this book is right up my alley.  The Home Workplace from 1980 is full of Organic Gardening and Farming tips as well as plans for building all sorts of useful items like Cold Frames, Mushroom Growing shelves, Solar food dryer, different plant trellis types, the list goes on and on, quite a treasure trove.

This book from 1975 really caught my eye.  It is cloth bound and in excellent condition, I love the yellow color as well as the font of the title on the cover.  I have always loved the subject of writing, so it should be a fun one to look through, but also just a fun book to look at!

I had fun at this sale, and am looking forward to the next one in October.  The last couple of years I have been bringing our used books to the library for donation, I keep a spot in the laundry closet for our goodwill donations and a box for books we are done with to bring to the library.  The donated books often go to the used book sales that help fund different library projects.  

I love interesting old books, but unfortunately am allergic to old paper.  So I have a few tips that I follow for dealing with old books.  I don't shelf older musty books near my newer books, because the must will spread. If a book is too musty I read it and then donate it when I am done, and if I really love it or feel like I will need to refer to it again, I keep it sealed in a plastic bag, or in a tote out in the garage.  I definitely wash my hands after reading an older book and avoid rubbing my eyes or nose while I am reading it.  Some books that are too old I just can't tolerate, and sadly can't even read for more than a few minutes before they set off my allergies, so those usually have to be sent on their way.  Such a frustrating condition for someone who loves books like myself and could spend hours quite happily in any library or old book store.  I would love to hear your tips for dealing with old books?

Hope everyone is having a nice start to the week.  Thanks for reading!

You might also enjoy reading my older post on getting ready for Fall - My Big Fall Clean Up