You know and love the great deals you find at the Friends of the Johnson County Library book sales, but did you know you can shop with them 24/7, online?
The Friends of Johnson County Library launched their successful summer used book sale about 30 years ago, and have since opened used bookstores at three Johnson County Library branches. The Friends started an internet sales presence in 2004 and sold 116 items that year, earning $3,888. Times have certainly changed. The Friends reported internet sales of 7,841 items grossing nearly $132,000 in 2016. Items sold have ranged from the prosaic: an out-of-print insurance book that is still in demand, to the profound: the collected works of Sigmund Freud. A recent top seller was The Lighting Handbook: Reference and Application which sold for $399.95. Books have been shipped to six continents, and orders arrive daily.
The Online Sales Division is managed by Friends Business Manager Matt Delaney and a corps of dedicated volunteers. We presently have 11 volunteers listing items for sale and 5 volunteers shipping items ordered. Materials deemed appropriate for online sale are manually listed on the three online auction sites where the Friends list: ABEBooks, Amazon and eBay. The sites are monitored daily by the Online Sales volunteers, who also fulfill completed auctions.
Shipments have made their way to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Malaysia, Great Britain, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Belarus, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Macau and South Africa!
Funds raised by the Friends support a range of programs and services including the 6 by 6: Ready to Read early literacy program, the Meet the Author series and the annual teen literary magazine, elementia.
Support the Friends by browsing our online shops anytime »
-by Matt Delaney, Business Manager, Friends of Johnson County Library