UW library books sale March 5-8

The largest used book sale in Wisconsin, to be held March 5-8 at UW–Madison will include more than 15,000 books covering almost any subject.

The semiannual fund-raiser is hosted by the Friends of the UW–Madison Libraries. The sale will be in 116 Memorial Library, 728 State St.

Primarily UW–Madison faculty, staff and students, and area residents donate the materials to the group. The public sale helps fund the annual lecture series, special purchases for the libraries’ collections, preservation projects and a visiting scholar support program. In the past five years, the Friends have awarded more than $100,000 for more than 100 proposals from campus libraries through a small-grant program supported by the book sales.

Among the strong collections being offered are books covering history, women’s studies, religion and philosophy, foreign languages, literature, and art, plus special collections in espionage, art museum catalogs, and native American studies.

A preview sale ($5 admission) will be 5-9 p.m., Wednesday, March 5. The regular sale, open to the public at no charge, will be 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Thursday, March 6, and Friday, March 7.

On Saturday, March 8, from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., patrons can bring a bag, or buy one for $1 at the sale, and fill it for $2. For more information, contact the Friends, (608) 265-2505, Friends@library.wisc.edu.

How to donate books
You may donate unwanted books by leaving them in the “Open Return” book drops at most campus libraries. Materials also may be dropped off at the Lake Street dock of Memorial Library weekdays, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. They will be added to campus library collections or sold through the Friends book sale to benefit the libraries. To arrange for a book pickup or for more information, contact the Friends, (608) 265-2505, Friends@library.wisc.edu.