Giant Book Sale returning to Fort Myers Beach Library this weekend
If you have been looking to restock your book collection since Hurricane
Milton or Hurricane Ian, or just looking to dig into some new reading, the upcoming Fort Myers Beach Library’s “Giant
Book Sale” figures to be a place you can count on.
The book sale, scheduled to take place in the garage of the library this Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, will be the first since Hurricane Ian shuttered the library more than three years ago.
The sale will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on both days.
Thousands of books will be for sale in what Fort Myers Beach Friends of the Library Secretary Jan Fleming expects will be one of the largest book sale events in the library’s history.
“It’s the best bargain on the island,” Fleming said.
The library, which reopened last year, received many donations after Hurricane Ian.
Approximately 9,500 books, DVD’s, CD’s and other items were destroyed by the 14-feet high storm surge of Hurricane Ian. Every book on the first two levels of shelving for every bookcase on the first floor was ruined. That includes books that had previously been donated by the community to the library for its November book sale fundraiser.
The good news is about 75,000 books and other items survived Ian.
Since then, the library has replenished its shelves and along with donations over the last three years, is in a place where the “Giant Book Sale” can handle the overflow.
“We have so many books that were taken out of circulation as well as donated,” Fleming said. “So many people donated books after the storm because they knew we needed them.”
The cost of the books will be $10 per bag. “So many of the books are just like new,” Fleming said.
The sale helps the organization fundraise to meet its goal of donating $20,000 each year to the library to supports its wishlist.
“The wishlist includes things like the children’s area, the paintings, the mural,” Fleming said. Past donations have gone to fund display cases and items in the children’s area.
The library is also selling a Friends of the Library membership for $25, which will include a Friends of the Library bag.
The Estero Island Garden Club will also be selling plants and baked goods.
The Friends of the Library could use help setting up all of the boxes of books on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 29 and Jan. 30. “No heavy lifting, just putting books out on the tables,” Fleming said. Volunteers can show up any time between
9 and noon to help out.
“They can give us an hour, two hours, any time, we just appreciate the help,” Fleming said. Volunteers can just go to the library garage to assist.
If you can’t make the upcoming book sale, there will be another chance
on February 28 and March 1. The last giant book sale of the year will be
March 28 and March 29.
The Fort Myers Beach Library is located at 2755 Estero Boulevard.