Looking for The Help in paperback? How about the latest thrill of a Tom Clancy page-turner? Or the pleasure of last summer’s hottest beach reads, State of Wonder by Ann Patchett or Swamplandia by Karen Russell?
Extremely literary and incredibly close
With bargains by the armful for everyone from avid readers to casual browsers, Bookstock beckons with more than 100,000 donated books for sale, Sunday to Sunday, April 22 through 29 at Livonia’s Laurel Park Place.
Now in its 10th year, Bookstock has grown from metro Detroit’s largest used book and media sale into a media event supporting the community’s need to read, with all proceeds to benefit literacy, scholarships and educational projects in metropolitan Detroit.
No telling what hidden treasures you’ll find
“Bookstock is a festival in itself,” says long-time volunteer and co-chair Janet Berman. “We collect and sell literally tons of books and media in nearly 30 categories including DVDs, CDs, books on tape, even vinyl records. This year we’ve added a large stock of sheet music to the collection, thanks to a book dealer who recently retired.”
Gathered from sources far and wide, Bookstock gets best sellers by the boxful, fiction and nonfiction, hardbound and paperbacks, some of which have never been cracked open. There are rare finds and collectibles, signed first editions, classic children’s books, cookbooks, biographies, histories and Judaica.
“Half the fun is the search between the covers,” says Berman, “You never know when you’re going to find a book of sentimental value, discover the inscription of a friend or relative, or unfold a surprise like a lottery ticket used as a bookmark, or a long-lost love letter hidden between the pages. One year there was a lucky shopper who found a book signed by Eleanor Roosevelt.”
First dibs for collectors and early risers
For those in the know, Bookstock’s Pre-Sale kicks off at 8:15 to 11:00 am, Sunday, April 22, with a $10 admission. Be prepared for lines outside the door at the opening, and some gentle competition with serious collectors and dealers as you thumb through the first collections on tables that extend nearly the entire span of the mall. The sale for the general public runs Sundays, 11 am to 6 pm and Monday through Saturday 10 am to 9 pm.
Quick Bookstock facts:
- Bookstock has generated over $655,000 for literacy and educational programs throughout Oakland Country and Detroit over the past 9 years
- Bookstock is managed and driven by more than 800 volunteers who work throughout the year to organize and staff the weeklong sale
- 100% of the unsold books are donated to charities and other nonprofits after the sale
- Book prices range from $1 to $3
- Buy three books, get the fourth book free on Bookbuster Nights, Wednesday and Thursday, 3-9 pm. Books are sold at half-price on the last day of the sale, Sunday, April 29
Reflecting on Bookstock’s 10th Anniversary – and a million books the event has put into the hands of readers – Berman noted with pride, “What I love most about this project is that we all come together. It’s not just about the Jewish community. Bookstock involves the greater Detroit community. That’s a wonderful feeling.”
For more information, call the Bookstock hotline 248-645-7840 ext 365 or go to www.bookstock.info Laurel Park Place is located on 6 Mile Road, east of 1-275, in Livonia.
