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Helping to set up the annual Harvest Book Sale has a pretty cool perk.
Late Sunday afternoon, 100 or so volunteers at Overlook Activities Center had an opportunity to browse through books loaded on hundreds of sagging tables — books that won't be available to the general public until the doors open at 9 a.m. today.
This morning kicks off the three-day sale, an annual event organized by Friends of the Lancaster Public Library that is quickly growing to rival the organization's massive spring book sale.
But, for anyone used to the bedlam of most book-sale days, the reduced din Sunday was almost eerie. Dozens — rather than the usual hundreds — of people thumbed through the pages of like-new paperbacks, well-worn hardcover volumes and more, while the cavernous room buzzed with the sounds of quiet conversations and the occasional exclamation over a particularly tasty discovery.
"It's a good way of beating the crowds on Monday morning," four-time volunteer Marc Benedict of Terre Hill said Sunday. "You give them four, five hours of labor, and you get to pick a bit."
Still, Benedict — already carrying an armload of book selections — said he'll be back in line with the rest of the crowd early this morning.
"Usually I find more the second day, with all of the crowds, than I do on the first," he said.
Casey Reed of Reinholds was a first-time volunteer on Sunday. After spending the afternoon unloading boxes and arranging books on tables, her back was aching, she said.
But she was moved to help after attending the book sale for the first time last year."I was here last year and saw what an overwhelming chore it was to get all of this stuff together," she said. "I value the library system, and anything you can do to support it is a great thing."
It was a family affair for the Resslers of Mountville. Parents Brian and Diane bought their teenage children, Kendra and Michael, out to get them involved in volunteer work.
Ressler said they spent about 2!-W hours stocking the tables with books. The chance to pick out a few to buy afterwards was an unexpected bonus, he said.
"I like to do things as a family that are volunteer-oriented," Mrs. Ressler added. "Besides, we all adore —!\qand I mean live and breathe — books."
The sale runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and Tuesday, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Wendy Eshleman, publicity chairwoman for the event, was watching volunteers on the floor with a touch of envy —!\qshe, working with a few other people to finish organizing book sets for sale, wasn't able to start shopping yet.
Some of the volunteers Sunday "have been doing it for years," she said. "But there were a lot of new faces today, too."
The sale this year features more than 150,000 used books, plus records, tapes, videos and DVDs, sheet music and CDs. Many of the books start at $1 for hardbacks and 50 cents for paperbacks, with prices dropping Wednesday.
(85) (40) (12) (3) (2) (2)To date, nearly $1.5 million has been raised by the sales to support Lancaster County's public libraries. The 2007 Harvest Sale alone raised $73,800.
"There's a lot of enthusiasm," Eshleman said. "Book people are good people."
E-mail: tknapp@lnpnews.com
