Summer is the perfect time for relaxing and reading, and this week, book sales in both Moravia and Poplar Ridge will help to add more to the bookshelves for many avid readers.

Powers Library in Moravia began its annual book sale Thursday with people waiting in line before the sale began at 9 a.m., according to recently appointed director Lori Cochran.

“We weed out books from our existing collection and receive many donations from patrons and residents alike for the event,” Cochran said. “The community looks very forward to this.”

With thousands of books from all genres to choose from, Powers Library board of trustees member Marjorie Michaud explained that the book sale is a major opportunity to allocate funds for the library.

“This book sale is our chief fundraiser,” Michaud said. “Last year we had our best financial outcome by allocating over $2,000. Our goal is to beat that this year, and with the outpouring of support from the community, it looks like we may reach our goal.”

With hardcover books priced at $1, paperbacks at 50 cents, and children's books at 25 cents, Colorado resident William Decker said that the main reason he came to the book sale is because the prices can't be beat. “I think I have about 20 books so far and I'm still shopping,” Decker said.

The Powers Library Book sale will run until Saturday, ending with a bag day, which people can fill for $2.

“I look forward to Saturday because you can take your own bag or purchase one from the library to fill to the brim with your favorite reading material,” said Anthony Ketty, of Auburn.

For Hazard Public Library assistant Linda Shaw Bush, the book sale in Poplar Ridge displays “community volunteerism at its finest.” Much like the book sale at Powers Library, the entire event is coordinated by volunteers.

“It simply wouldn't happen without them,” Bush said.

Volunteers from the local Boy Scout troop, patrons of the library and residents of Poplar Ridge helped to donate and organize thousands of books which are now categorized into many genres from Westerns to romance and mystery to nonfiction.

“We really depend on this as our largest fundraiser,” explained Hazard Library patron and book sale volunteer Kathy Hughes. “We are hoping to relocate the library to a place with more space for the collection and activities.”

One activity that takes place during the summer at Hazard Public Library is the summer reading program for children, which challenges them to read as much as they can.

“It's a wonderful program,” said Doug Hamilton, who has been attending the book sale for the past five years. “It gets the children interested in reading and ties in well with the book sale because when they finish their reading, they are allowed to choose any book of their liking from the sale for free, the kids get excited about that, and it's important for them to be.”

The funds allocated from both the sales at Powers Public Library and Hazard Public Library will assist in general maintenance, the purchase of new acquisitions, maintain the existing collection, and general operation.

To learn more

For more information about the Powers Public Library book sale, call 497-1955. For more on the Hazard Public Library book sale, call 364-7975.