A Successful Campout For The 30th Annual Labor Day Book Sale

By Nancy K. Crevier

The amount of money taken in for the C.H. Booth Library at the Annual Labor Day Book Sale is special, but there are so many other aspects of the sale that make it special as well, says Mary Maki, president of The Friends of  C.H. Booth Library.

“We probably grossed a little over $90,000 this year,” said Ms Maki on the final day of the sale at Fairfield Hills. “It’s hard to tell though. People continue to donate even on ‘free’ day.”

The unusual setting this year, due to space restrictions on the Fairfield Hills campus, had Friends’ members wondering how successful the event would be. While rare books and records were housed in Newtown House, the several thousand other volumes were tabled beneath an enormous tent set up in the parking lot. “We received only positive remarks from the public,” reports Ms Maki. “Everyone seemed to love the light and airiness of the tent.”

Thousands of people visited the sale held Saturday, September 3, through Wednesday, September 7. “It was a mob scene,” laughs Ms Maki, “and some people come back every day.”

The popularity of the Newtown book sale is due in part, says Ms Maki, because of the effort put forth by the volunteers who organize the sale. “People can find things at our sale that they can’t at other sales. The categories are highly divided, all of the fiction is alphabetized, and our volunteers are so good about keeping the tables neat.”

She goes on to praise the support staff at the book sale. “I can’t say enough about the Fairfield Hills security staff and the management committee. They watched the tent like a hawk. Everyone has been so supportive.”

When book sale organizers feared that Hurricane Katrina might take a swipe at Connecticut on her way out, Newtown Hardware donated plastic needed to cover the hundreds of tables of books.  The tent, a $12,000 cost to the Friends, even with a generous discount from Stamford Tent and Party, was waterproof, but she pointed out that seams could leak in a heavy storm, and blowing winds of hurricane force could easily sweep beneath the edges, soaking books stacked at the perimeter of the tent. “We had perfect weather, though,” she says with a sigh of relief.

One of the things Ms Maki loves about the book sale is that each year there is a story behind the scenes. And this year did not let her down. Every year volunteers sport T-shirts with a snappy saying. This year’s quote, “Reading is a Gift You Give to Yourself,” was gleaned from a story on National Public Radio. Ms Maki did a little research to disclose the source, and discovered that it came from Robin Kall, of the Providence radio program, Reading With Robin. As a gesture of thanks for granting permission to use her quote, Ms Maki sent Ms Kall a T-shirt and articles about the book sale. In return, Ms Kall made mention of the sale on her show, only to receive an email from one of her listeners: “We were at the sale and we saw the shirt!”

Needless to say, Ms Kall immediately ordered ten more shirts for her friends and family.

Not to downplay the monetary benefit for the town’s library, “It’s the little stories that makes every book sale special and successful,” says Ms Maki.