Used Book Sale still a GOOD READ to thousands of book lovers

Even as the countdown neared for the opening of the 2010 Little City Used Book Sale, Virginia Sik and George Zaremba sat relaxed and unfazed by the hectic pace going around them.

Shoppers rushed by to get their spot in line, Little City volunteers set up equipment for the upcoming opening ceremony and other observers simply hung around to view the activities.

But while others hurried about, the two Chicago residents could rest easily. That’s because they had done their work a week earlier – chaining their lawn chairs to a nearby tree to reserve the first two places in line for the annual book love fest held June 4-13 at the Westfield Old Orchard shopping center in Skokie.

“For us, we look [at the book sale] as the start of summer for us,” Virginia said with a smile. “We love coming here, and look forward to it each year.”

Hundreds of others obviously were looking forward to the annual event as well, with several hundred people lined up two- and three-people wide around the 80-by-200 foot white tent for the frenetic opening night on Friday, June 4.

And once Little City Executive Director Shawn Jeffers and Honorary Mayor Rob Waterhouse concluded their welcoming speeches, followed by Rob cutting the ribbon to officially open the 10-day event, the “running of the bulls” – book lovers dashing with shopping carts throughout the tent – was under way for opening night.

“This is a unique event that we work on year round,” said Adam Meade, Director of Events and the coordinator for this year’s book sale. “It’s a lot of work, but it provides us with an opportunity to reach out to a lot of people and let them know who Little City is.”

As always, book lovers from near and far attended the Little City Used Book Sale, which brought in close to $155,000 in revenue this year. There were people like Debra Gomez of Des Plaines, who has been coming to the event for more than 15 years, as wells as Julie Hamilton of Batavia, who busily sorted through books on opening night.

“We have friends in the area, so it makes the trip for the book sale that much easier,” Cindy said. “We enjoy coming here.”

 

Throughout the 10-day event, thousands of book seekers filed through the tent, whether it was looking for a good mystery or peering through the well-stocked collectibles area. Visitors also got to view paintings and textile works by the artists of Little City.

In addition, to build a better awareness of who and what Little City is, banners featuring children and adults of our agency were spread throughout the tent, along with a large pop-up display of Little City residents. Information also was available on a table near the entrance.

But perhaps the No. 1 fan of the book sale was Edward Halpern, an 80-year-old gentleman from Spring Grove, a small town near the Wisconsin border.

“I’ve been coming here every year that it has been held,” said Halpern, as he talked with Little City volunteers in the collectible books area. “That’s 52 years or whatever it is.”

He was right. The sale has been going on for 52 years, the first 48 of them being done by the North Shore branch of the Brandeis University National Women’s Committee. Little City has been coordinating the event the last four years.

“It’s fun while the book sale is going on, and it’s also tiring,” said Vince Williams, who is the manager of Little City’s Book Warehouse and the person who picks up, tracks and boxes all the books throughout the year with a lot of help from volunteers and several Little City residents who work at the warehouse.

Throughout the year, and especially during the Used Book Sale event, Vince logs long hours to ensure its success.

“I guess it’s what you would call a labor of love,” he says with a smile.