Spring 2010 Book Sale FAQ, Part II

This is part II of the FAQ's for the Spring 2010 Book Sale. If you missed Part I yesterday, scroll down. If you want to see the whole thing at once, or to be able to print your own copy, click on this link to Google Docs. If you have more questions than we've answered, please e-mail us!

What’s in the Display Case?

A variety of eye-catching and specialty books that might require a little more gentle handling than those on the shelves in the Specials Room.  NOTE: Display case items are sometimes ready to appear as soon as MONDAY, April 19.

Do you have books “held back”?

There are a certain number of higher value books that we have available for scrutiny and purchase which we do not put in the Specials Room. This is largely due to concern for their condition. As you probably know, in collectible books, condition plus scarcity is everything. Let us know if there is something particular you are looking for.

What are the advantages of becoming a Friends Member?

First and foremost, you can enter the sale on Friends Night, April 21, 5-7:30 p.m.  While we restock the sale all week, the best of the Specials Room books are available that night.

Second, for Friends members with specialty subject interests, we are sometimes able to identify a few available titles that are not shown on the toplist.  Tell us what you collect, and we’ll keep it in mind as we accrue donations between sales.

GREAT! How do I become a Member?

The easiest way is to click on the button to join (top of the sidebar on the right). That will take you through a process to join. Then on Friends night, you show up, check in, and will receive a ticket to enter.  If you wait until Friends Night to join, you will spend more time at the check-in table as we have to get the information from you along with your check. Spend less time IN LINE by doing it ON LINE.

Why do you allow Dealers?

Dealers are customers just like anyone else. We value our relationships with all of our customers as long as everyone behaves in an adult manner. Believe it or not, some of the most egregious behavior does NOT come from dealers. By the same token, we do not have a special “Dealers Night” like some book sales do because we do not value the dealers any more than our other customers, and vice-versa.

What are the sale hours?

Friends Night (membership required) April 21, 5-7:30 p.m.

Thursday & Friday, April 22-23, 10-5

Saturday, April 24, 10-4

Sunday, April 25, 1-3:30

What kind of accessibility do you provide for disabled people?

Our aisles are measured and tables placed exactly to comply with Fire Marshall requirements for safety. If you need a walker or wheelchair, we are happy to accommodate you by offering you a chance to come shop for a short time before we open to the public. Please understand that to access this opportunity you need to contact us first. You can do so by e-mailing us at restonfriendspr@gmail.com or contacting someone at the library.

That said, per Fire Marshall rules, we cannot accommodate strollers. Please consider carefully whether your child or children are the type that can wait quietly for you to finish shopping. If they are likely to create a disturbance for other patrons, please reconsider bringing them. Our major concern is their safety -- people carrying boxes, bags or piles of books often do not see little ones under their feet.

Finally, we want to make the book sale a pleasant experience for everyone involved. If you have concerns, suggestions or questions, please communicate them to our e-mail address and we’ll answer as soon as we’re able. Thank you for helping us to make the Reston Used Book Sale the best in town!

Spring 2010 Book Sale FAQ

Today we'll post the first half of the FAQ's. We've also posted them through Google Docs. So if you can't resist, you can look at the whole list by clicking the link. If you want to wait, the rest will be posted tomorrow.

SPRING 2010 SEMI-ANNUAL BOOKSALE FAQ

The Friends of Reston Regional Library welcome all of you to the sale.  Our goal is for EVERYONE to enjoy the sale and to have a fair chance to find what they want. To that end, we have a few rules, which if everyone can follow them, will help all of us.

Why do you have so many more fiction than non-fiction books?

We don't!  Yes, adult fiction is the largest single subject category at the semi-annual sales.... as measured by "volume" (cubic feet!).  However, when all fiction is toted up (fiction plus sci fi plus romance plus lit, etc.), the total number of boxes is well below half.  So therefore all non-fiction (history, self help, cooking, religion, etc.) is clearly well above half.

But what the Friends have sorted through and stashed in our storage shed isn't the whole story either.  The way that the Friends have allocated selling square footage in the building (the two rows of fiction tables, plus the zones for sci fi, romance, lit) confirms that fiction again represents well below half of what's allocated. . . and what happy shoppers get to browse through at any given time during the sale itself.

What forms of payment do you take?

Cash and checks with valid information and phone number.  If you’ve written us a bad check in the past, cash only.

What are the rules for dealers/high volume buyers?

First, remember our goal from above.  In that vein,

a)      No bulk buying allowed until Sunday at 2pm. That means no sweeping of books from the tables into plastic bags.

b)    We allow you to buy as many TOTAL boxes (standard size/postal size) as you wish.  However, each time you accrue 6 boxes, we ask that you check out and take them to your car; and return as time permits.  We are very short on space, so if you can get your books out to your vehicle in chunks, it lessens the chance another patron will not recognize them as ‘taken’ or even ‘sold’ and start going through them.

Do you allow scanners?

Scanners are allowed on the main floor as long as one abides by the rules and behaves in an orderly fashion. We will ask people who cannot behave in an orderly manner to leave.  Should the use of scanners cause a disruption, we will ask you to put it away. We ask that you mind your manners – do not snatch books out of people's hands.

NOTE: Scanners are NOT allowed in the Specials Room

What is the Specials Room?

This is the small room where we have located higher value books ($5 and up – the vast majority $7 and under). ON FRIENDS NIGHT (April 21), patrons may select up to 40 items at a time, have them processed, paid for, and taken to their car, and then return and repeat as often as needed throughout preview night.  Due to the small space, patrons will be asked to leave other boxes, bags and books outside the Specials Room throughout the sale. 

What are some typical books located in the Specials Room?

You can see a selection of the books offered by viewing our Toplist.  This list is just a drop in the bucket of what we have there.

Why do you take so much information when I’ve selected Specials Room books?

We do it because it clearly helps us to run a better sale for the shopper, not just at this sale but future ones as well.  By knowing that a particular scarce item has sold already, the less likely we'll be to keep looking for it when another customer asks about it later!  More importantly, we learn about what subject categories are most sought after by our patrons.  And of course, that contact info routinely allows us to contact a buyer who's forgotten to pick up the precious bag of selections at checkout time (unfortunately happens every sale, and multiple times, too)

See you tomorrow for Part II