Wisconsin’s largest used book sale opens March 3

More than 15,000 books will go on sale during Wisconsin’s largest single used-book sale this Wednesday through Saturday, March 3-6, at Memorial Library, 728 State St., on the UW–Madison campus.

The sale, sponsored by the Friends of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Libraries, is the 17th semiannual sale since 1996 and draws visitors from all over Midwest.

Donated primarily by faculty, staff, students and Madison-area residents, the books constitute these genres: American studies, fiction, foreign languages, cooking, physical and biological sciences, computer science, government, political science, law, education, fine arts, self-help, reference, business, social sciences, religion, philosophy, women’s studies and history.

The sales, which have raised more than $270,000 during their eight-year history, help fund an annual lecture series, special purchases for the library collections, a visiting scholar program, publications and grants to campus libraries. The Friends have also been major sponsors of the annual Wisconsin Book Festival.

The sale, open to the public, is in 116 Memorial Library. A preview sale with a $5 admission fee will be held 5-9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3.

The regular sale with no admission fee will be held 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Thursday and Friday, March 4-5; and 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, March 6. The Saturday sale will be a $2-a-bag sale, “bring your own bag.”