Book fanatics will have plenty to choose from at this year’s Times Colonist book sale, thanks to a non-stop flow of donations Sunday.
“We just wrapped up and despite the wind early today and rain later on, we still had what I think is one of the busier Sundays,” promotions and community relations manager Shannon Kowalko said from the Victoria Curling Club, where community members dropped off books Saturday and Sunday.
“We’ve got a gazillion books over here. It’s super busy.”
Sunday was the final drop-off day for the Times Colonist book sale, to be held May 4 and 5 at the Victoria Curling Club.
While the exact number of donations this year is unknown, the book sale typically offers between 400,000 and 500,000 books each year, according to volunteer co-ordinator Bob Taylor.
Kowalko said that after opening at 9 a.m., things picked up at the drop-off centre at 10:30 a.m. and did not stop. Volunteers helped unload a lineup of cars filled with boxes of books until 3:30 p.m. At times, the lineup extended out the parking lot, up Pembroke Street and onto Quadra Street.
“It created a little bit of a traffic calamity — no accidents though,” Kowalko said.
About 75 volunteers stopped by throughout the day to help.
The next two weeks will be dedicated to sorting through the books and organizing them by genre in advance of the sale.
Most books will cost $1, $2 or $3 and proceeds will be donated to literacy programs.
Last year, the Times Colonist book sale raised $153,706 for the Times Colonist’s Raise-A-Reader program, which spread the proceeds among Vancouver Island schools and non-profit groups.
Kowalko extended her thanks on behalf of the Times Colonist to the many donors and volunteers.
“A big thank you to everybody who came out today and yesterday. The curling club is full of boxes upon boxes of books,” she said.
