It's Book Sale Time!

2019 Book Sale

The Friends of Rodman Public Library’s annual Used Book Sale is back in 2021 and bigger than ever.

                With donations that have accumulated over the past two years, there are well over 25,000 books, magazines, DVDs and CDs available during the sale, which will be held Aug. 7 – 11 in conjunction with the Greater Alliance Carnation Festival.

                “This definitely will be one of the biggest sales that we’ve had,” said Barb Burley, president of The Friends of Rodman Public Library. “We’re excited to be hosting it again this year.”

                The biggest change in 2021, however, will be the venue.

                With such a large volume of material and an anticipated large crowd of shoppers, the book sale will be held at the Alliance Neighborhood Center, located at 405 S. Linden Ave.

                “That will really be the biggest change,” says Burley. “The move to the Neighborhood Center gives us room to spread out. It will be a learning curve for all of us, both the people who come to buy materials and the volunteers with Friends of Rodman Public Library.”

                Due to the change in venue, donations were being taken on a limited basis, starting on July 20. There are two dates in August in which donations will be accepted at the Alliance Neighborhood Center, including Tuesday, Aug. 3 and Thursday, Aug. 5 between 10 a.m. and noon. Those who would like to make donations should enter the property from the Arch Avenue entrance and drop off items at door No. 4, which is equipped with a ramp. Carts will be available to help wheel materials into the building.

                “We’re happy that the sale will continue,” said Rodman Public Library Director Eric Taggart. “We’re hoping that the extra room will allow patrons of the sale to see more materials at one time and allow them to spread out a bit more while looking over the vast amount of materials available.”

                Of course, one of the major undertakings prior to the sale each year is sorting materials and placing them on tables. This year, that is compounded by the fact that the items stored in the basement of Rodman Public Library had to be boxed and brought upstairs and then placed on trucks and other vehicles provided by several Alliance community members to make the move down High Street and across Arch Avenue to the Alliance Neighborhood Center.

                As in past years, members of the University of Mount Union football team stepped up to volunteer.

                The sale, which generated more than $16,000 in 2019, will begin with a members only day on Aug. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Memberships to Friends of Rodman Library can be purchased at the door or in advance at the library.

                The sale will continue from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 8 as well as 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. the following three days, Aug. 9 through Aug. 11.

                On the final day of the sale, patrons will be allowed to fill an entire bag and make a donation all day.

                “For those of us who work at the sale year after year, we sort of become a family. The sale is almost like a family,” added Burley. “So we will be seeing some friends that we haven’t seen in a couple of years. And for us, it’s just been too long between sales.”

                Those who would like to volunteer with Friends of Rodman Library, should call the library at 330-821-2665 and leave their name and contact information. A member of Friends of Rodman Library will then contact potential volunteers to discuss opportunities.