Media Credit: Photo by Wendy Wills Carol Fledderman and Jim Sams, co-chairs of Friends of the Library, are in charge of selling paperback books Oct. 8 and 9 at the Pensacola Public Library. [Click to enlarge]

Looking for reference books for your next term paper or want to catch up on leisure reading without spending a fortune? The annual paperback book sale at the Pensacola Public Library Oct. 8 to 9 is the place to go.

Melissa Thacker, community relations coordinator for the library, said the event is run and organized by the Friends of the Library bookstore.

"They are sort of like our booster club, and they raise money," Thacker said.

Carol Fleddermann and Jim Sams, co-chairs of the Friends of the Library, are in charge of the event. They said they are excited so many people helped make the book sale possible.

"(The books) are all donated from various sources, mostly from people in the local area," Fleddermann said. "Some are from organizations. The Pensacola Public Library also donates books they no longer need."

Sams said there are plenty of books to choose from. "We have enough paperbacks to fill the first floor of the (University of West Florida) library," Sams said. "We have miscellaneous stuff."

He said some paperbacks would be priced as low as 25 cents. Other items including encyclopedias, videotapes, audiotapes, coffee table books, magazines and records also will be for sale.

Sams said the Friends of the Library have two-day sales that occur three times a year and a three-day sale that occurs annually. The library receives about 70,000 books at the three-day sale and earns about $30,000.

Sams said the paperback sale is for people of all ages.

"There's something in there for everyone," he said. Fleddermann said there will be another book sale Dec. 3 and Dec. 4 featuring new and barely used books.

Thacker said the Friends of the Library in Pensacola was organized in 1973. There are now 500 members. Out of those members, "the actual number of people who put it together is between 20 to 30,"she said.

"We're all volunteers," Fleddermann added.

Sams said the volunteers set up and close down the book sale. "We're always looking for volunteers," he said.

Friends of the Library in Pensacola has been organizing the book sales for the past 25 years, Sams added.

The paperback book sale is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8 and 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the meeting room and in the garage of the Pensacola Public Library.

For more information, call 436-5060.

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