Hundreds flock to Old Book Sale in Macon

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Hundreds of people are flocking to Central City Park in Macon for the 2015 Friends of the Library Old Book Sale. 

Whether they’re in their mother’s arms or bringing in the next generation, people love books. 

“I love them. I love reading them. I love collecting them. This is just a good chance to collect some of the rare ones like I have right here,” Spencer Raffield, an avid reader, said. 

Tens of thousands of new, used, and hard to find books are filling up one of the buildings at Central City Park — seemingly up the very top. 

Bookworms dedicated with their carts, luggage on wheels, and even boxes and bags, are rolling out with handfuls. 

“People cleaning out houses will donate books they don’t want anymore. Schools will donate old textbooks. So we get them from everywhere,” Maurice Cowan, a volunteer, said. 

The annual sale brings thousands of dollars to libraries in the county every year. 

“It’s a fundraiser for the libraries to buy the stuff that’s really not in their budget, or the stuff that they can’t afford,” Cowan said. 

The money used will go toward extra furniture, equipment around the libraries, and even more books. 

“I love a good romance every now and then, good horror, action & adventure good sci-fi, I love it all really,” Raffield said. 

There are categories for young adults, old and quaint, and even a section for aspiring chefs. 

“I found a book that was my first cookbook when I was little girl, and I can’t find it, so I’m going to get this one,” Karen Sturgeon-Brown, a culinary arts student at Helms college, said. 

“We have everything. I mean dictionaries, which people might not use anymore, reference books, atlases, children’s books,” Cowan said. 

In a society where we are obsessed with apps, upgrades, and updates…

“To me there’s nothing better, you know on a cold winter day, curling up with a good book,” Cowan said. 

There’s still a corner of the community where people love to turn the page. 

The book sale will continue all weekend. 

HOURS OF THE SALE ARE:

Thursday and Friday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sunday: Noon – 5 p.m.

There are more than 100,000 books in 75 categories and you can use cards and cash to pay for your books.