A big book sale opens Monday with a new “antique treasure” table; Proceeds from the Lancaster Library Entertainment

This is an update to an article originally published on February 15, 2022.

More than a quarter of a million used books along with thousands of other items, including rare items on the new “ancient treasure” table, will attract readers of all ages as the annual Big Book Sale returns to the former Bon Ton building starting Monday, May 23rd.

Proceeds come to the Lancaster Public Library.

On Monday, May 23, from 7.00 to 20.00 there will be a Big Book Sale; May 24 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m .; and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25 (this is a day for half price) in the former Bon-Ton space in Park City Center.

A volunteer group of members of the Lancaster Public Library will fill the tables with many genres of books, from fiction and nonfiction to history, science, cookbooks and more.

Prices start at 50 cents for paperback and $ 2 for hardcover. Books at individual prices, including collectibles and current fiction and nonfiction, will be sold at allotted tables.

The “ancient treasure” table – new for this year’s sale – will be located at the box office and will include items such as historical atlases from Lancaster County, as well as strangely sized, slightly more expensive books, says Pat Ditzler, chairman of book operations. . for a group of friends.

Thousands of other items will also be on sale, including CDs, DVDs, vinyl albums, puzzles and games.

Also on sale will be more than 100 books on bullfighting.

Diztler says there will be more crossword puzzles, toys and games on sale this year than last.

A new chairman will also be on sale – the first person to hold the title, says Dietzler. This is Ron Adams, pastor of the Mennonite Church in Landville and a longtime volunteer.

The big book sale in 2021 raised a record $ 143,327 last year for Lancaster Public Library programs, Ditzler says.

In other news, a group of friends’ winter book sale at the Book ReSort donation center on North Marshall Street on Feb. 11-13 raised just under $ 15,400 for the library, a record for the sale, Ditzler said.

A big book sale used to be held at the Franklin and Marshall College Alumni Sports and Fitness Center, but it had to be moved to 2020 when the facility was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dietzler says Bon-Ton was an ideal place to sell books, with plenty of places for book buyers, both in search of bargains and waiting to pay for their purchases.