If you were anywhere around the library this weekend, you would know that the ETSU Library Associates were holding their annual book sale in the lobby.
It was clear that the event was going over well, even before I stepped through the doors. Students and people from around town were going in and coming out, usually with a bag or armful of books, in a steady stream.
I went in and had a look around, and despite being there to get the information for this article, being an English major and paper-and-ink addict, I had a look and did end up taking a few books home myself.
The first thing I noticed when walking into the library was the setup. There was an array of small carts scattered helter-skelter around the lobby, in what seemed to be no particular order. And despite the signs posted on them telling what each cart contained, it was no easy task if looking for something in particular. The cart with math books on it could be next to the foreign languages, though to some, math is a foreign language, and the history books could be next to fiction.
And to add to the confusion, of those topics which there were several carts of, such as foreign languages and fiction, they were not even in the general vicinity of each other, having one rack on one side of the lobby, and another totally opposite.
Breanne Johnson said she liked the sale, but “I thought it could better.”
Stephan Pietrowski was of the same opinion, saying, “I was a little surprised, I thought it would be a different layout by genre or grouped.”
But despite the less-than-great layout, the sale seemed to go over very well, with average books pricing at 50 cents for a paperback and $1 for a hardcover, and a selection that would appeal to most everyone, despite the lack of mainstream fiction and popular novels, which will go to the library’s program to encourage reading across campus.
The library lobby was constantly buzzing with people, some coming in, some going out and many browsing the selections that were offered. And that was just Friday.
The sale also went on Saturday, and with Buccaneer Bash activities scattered across the plaza, the book sale was likely to draw more attention then as well.
Dr. Jean Flanigan, association director for instructional media, said that the annual sale usually raises over $1,000, and it seemed like this year the amount will very likely reach that or go over.
The profits will be used to expand the library’s book collection, in addition to helping fund library programs.
Some of the profits are even going to the Read ETSU program which helps to increase reading across campus.
In spite of the setup in which some students did not like, the ETSU Library Associates’ sale seemed to be a major success.

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