FRACKVILLE - Those looking for books for their last summer trips to the beach or for back-to-school can find an assortment at the Schuylkill Mall during the four-day used book sale by The Republican-Herald and The News-Item beginning today.
The eighth annual event will feature about 30,000 gently used fiction, nonfiction, history, children's, science fiction, fantasy, cooking and other topics, arranged by category and popular authors, which were collected from readers since March. Paperbacks are $1, hardcovers $3, thin romance books five for $1, children's paperbacks and Golden books three for $1; and children's hardcovers $1.
Janet Joyce, Republican-Herald and News-Item marketing and community service director, said the sale will be located near the former Famous Labels. She recommends people park in the lot between it and Black Diamond Antiques and use the entrance near National Penn Bank.
Joyce said the first two hours of last year's event were packed with a long line, and she expects this year to be the same.
She said the books are kept well organized.
"We get a lot of comments that ours is one of the neatest book sales out there, which is a lot of pressure because we try ever year to keep it as neat as it was the year before," Joyce said.
With the books all donated by readers, she said collectors, including those looking for a particular book or autographed books or resellers, are allowed at the sale; but, they are expected to be courteous and allow those who donated books to have a chance to shop.
Those making purchases will also be helping education, with 100 percent of the sales supporting the newspapers' Newspaper In Education programs, which provide newspapers and educational materials free to area schools.
Teachers use the materials as tools for current events, language arts, geography, science and other subjects.
Joyce said some of the special sections focusing on education include series on the Constitution, black history and peer pressure, and 6,000 copies of the newspapers are distributed on a weekly basis.
The 30,000-plus books that subscribers dropped off at any of the newspaper offices were stored until transported to the mall about a week before the sale.
Newspaper employees and their families then begin the task of organizing and displaying the books.
Newspaper employees and their family members man the sale.
Sale hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. today; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.