We've got some pretty big things here in Newtown. We've got a big flag on a big flagpole; a big, long parade every Labor Day; and a big, big book sale that is underway this Saturday, July 9, through Wednesday, July 13. It is one of the biggest in the region, as a matter of fact.

Orchestrated by the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library, book lovers will find more than 120,000 books (in 90-plus categories), CDs, DVDs, and LPs, neatly arranged on tables filling the cafetorium and gymnasium of Reed Intermediate School, at 3 Trades Lane. Science fiction, fiction, romance, classics, chick lit, mysteries, and more are available at bargain prices (and even free, on the final day of the sale: beat that), making summer reading that much more enjoyable. An enormous selection of nonfiction includes cookbooks, art books, photography, fashion, and history, not to mention the specials room, where one-of-a-kind finds draw collectors and admirers.

The books are all from generous donations, some new, and many "gently loved."

There are books for children and books for young adults. There are books for serious readers and books that will merely amuse.

For those who prefer to pursue activities beyond reading, the huge collection of CDs, LPs, and DVDs, as well as games and puzzles, makes this event a treasure hunt extravaganza. It seems trite to say so, but this is one book sale where there is something for everyone.

There is everyone for someone, as well. Dozens of Friends' volunteers staff this sale. They are on hand to help you locate the genre you seek, and may very well be able to guide you to a particular book. The volunteers will help you when acquisitions become unwieldy, and clear your way to the register. On Saturday, the only day that a $5 entry fee is charged, volunteers will assist you in carrying purchases to a holding area while you continue to browse the collections. It would not be out of place to give each volunteer a hearty "Thank you!" Theirs is work that is year around, collecting donations, sorting, and categorizing the tens of thousands of volumes that come to them. They have put in countless hours of hard labor in recent days to make this book sale convenient and enjoyable for all - from those who rush through the doors at 9 am on Saturday to the bibliophile who walks off with an armload of free books at noon on Wednesday.

Beyond providing immense satisfaction on a personal level, the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library Book Sale benefits the community at large. Proceeds from the sale support library programs, help purchase books and e-books, and provide the library with funding for special purchases.

It would be a shame to miss out on this big event in Newtown, or the chance for some of your best summer reading ever. We urge you to make some time in these upcoming days to support the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library - and your reading habit.