“What you see is a reflection of the community,” said book sale manager Kurt Cylke. “Especially our FBI and CIA friends.” Sure enough, copies of Neya Zorkaya’s Soviet Cinema could be found within the mix, along with prestigious biographies of figures from Washington. Photo by Rachel Stone/The Connection
Literary pickings made their way from the shelves of Great Falls families’ homes to the tables of the Great Falls Book Sale last weekend, for a biannual fundraising event held by the Friends of the Great Falls Library.
Members of the community—parents, children, and those preparing for captivating reads in their retirement—filed through the lines of tables, perusing through the bargain-priced books for that special paperback to take home. The books were donated from the local families themselves, culminating in a diverse collection of fictional subjects and non-fictional disciplines.
Nine-year-old Jack Kelly was content to explore the table of model airplane kits, after investigating the Children’s and Fiction sections. A Great Falls couple, Sarah and Allan Stanley, left the cash register with a large paper bag stacked with hardcovers. “I love these. I love books. It’s what we do,” Sarah said, as she carted the stack out the door.
Compensation from the sold books, priced from $0.25 to $2, provide for the library’s extracurricular services and added amenities throughout the building. The Friends of the Great Falls Library have furnished the Children’s reading section with stuffed animals and couches, have purchased a water heater, and currently fund everything from Lego Club to STEM classes for home-schooled students in the library. Because of its offerings, the Great Falls Library remains a hub of activity for the community.
The association added an extra preview night for members only, who could make purchases on Thursday night before the sale opened to the public on Friday and Saturday. The $25 family/individual member dues, and profits from the book sale comprise the bulk of the library’s annual spending budget. Michelle Miller, President of Friends of the Great Falls Library, was enthusiastic about involving new members. “I could use one of those bumper stickers,” she exclaimed, “The kind that say, ‘I brake for book sales!’”
Great Falls citizens still looking to buy books can visit the library’s Ongoing Book Sale, to the left of the entrance. For more information visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/friends/GF or ‘like’ their page on Facebook.