Friends Book Sale at UW Madison

AquaLog has heard that the Friends Sale offered by UW Madison is THE place to get books!

Organized by the Friends of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries, the sale starts today, Wednesday, October 7 and runs through Saturday, October 10 in conjunction with the Wisconsin Book Festival.

The sale is open to the public and is held in 116 Memorial Library, 728 State St.

• The Preview Sale ($5 entry) is Wednesday, Oct. 7, 5 pm - 9 pm. The prices for the books are $5.00 for hard covers and $3.00 for paperbacks.

• The Regular Sale (No entry fee) runs Thursday, Oct. 8 - 9, 10:30 am - 7 pm. The regular sale prices are $3.00 for hard covers and $1.00 for paperbacks.

• A $3-a-Bag Sale (bring your own brown grocery bag) takes place Saturday, Oct. 10, 10:30 am - 1 pm. From 1:05 - 2 pm all remaining books are free.

The semiannual sales are the largest used book sales in Wisconsin and include more than 15,000 books covering almost any subject including American studies, fiction, foreign languages, cooking, physical and biological sciences, computer science, government, political science, law, education, fine arts, self-help, reference, business, social sciences, religion, philosophy, women's studies, and history. There are also maps, DVDs, CDs, videos, and many LPs for sale.

Categories of special interest in this particular sale include: ancient history, American studies, English travel and history, evolution, African poetry and literature, and medieval Britain.

Nearly 60 volunteers coordinate the event, which draws students, faculty, and visitors from around the Midwest. Books for the sale are donated primarily by University of Wisconsin faculty, staff, students and Madison-area residents. Money from the sales help fund an annual lecture series, special purchases for the library collections, and a visiting scholar support program.

Friends Board Member Beth Kubly states “Given the current economic conditions, no bibliophile would want to miss this sale. There’s a fascinating array of books that would meet any reader’s interests.”