The Jefferson County Library Foundation’s spring 2024 Whale of a Used Book Sale will take place from May 30 through June 2 at the Jeffco Fairgrounds, 15200 W. 6th Ave., in Golden. Booklovers and bargain hunters can dive into three exhibit halls teeming with gently used books, CDs, DVDs, comic books, themed gift baskets, and vinyl records, along with rare books and one-of-a-kind collectibles.
“This marks our 23rd year of producing this semi-annual sale,” says JCLF Board President Deborah Deal. “These sales enable us to raise monies in support of Jefferson County Public Library for programs such as Early Childhood Literacy and the Library Summer Challenge.”
The spring sale opens Thursday evening, May 30, with Friends-Only Preview Night (for members of Friends of the Library), followed by three days – May 31 through June 2 – when the event is open to the public. Sale items range in price from $0.50 to $3. Rare and collectible items and gift baskets are individually priced.
Spring 2024 Whale of a Used Book Sale dates and times are:
- Thursday, May 30, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – Friends-Only Preview Night
- Friday, May 31, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Early Birds. Come in one hour early (8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.) for $10 per adult!
- Saturday, June 1, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Half-Price Day for Educators, Friends and Jeffco Employees (with ID)
- Sunday, June 2, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Bag Day. A grocery-sized bag of books is just $10.
The last day of the sale (Sunday, June 2), shoppers can also visit neighboring CSU Extension to enjoy children’s activities and gain information on many Extension programs, including Master Gardeners and 4-H. This is free and open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The entry fee for the Whale of a Used Book Sale is $5 per day for adults. Children under age 18 are free. Shoppers can sign up and pay online or pay at the door. Pre-payment can be made at www.whalesale.org. Adults who produce their SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) card or show proof for their children to receive free/reduced school lunches will receive free admission each day of the public sale.
In addition to bargain shopping, this event offers many volunteer opportunities such as cashiering, table tidying, and cart running. Plus, volunteers earn two free books for each four-hour shift they sign up for during set-up, during the sale, and afterward for post-sale clean-up. This is a great opportunity for corporate employee groups or civic clubs to come out and show their support for public libraries.
For more than two decades, and at each individual event, JCLF’s Whale of a Used Book Sales have offered up more than 80,000 gently used books, CDs, DVDs, vinyl records and many more items. These sales enable JCLF to raise thousands of dollars in support of the many free programs, services and activities offered by Jefferson County Public Library.
Denver7 is a proud partner of the Whale of a Used Book Sale.
For more information on the Whale of a Used Book Sale, or if you would like to volunteer or become a Friend of the Library, visit www.whalesale.org or call 303-403-5075 for details.
About the Jefferson County Library Foundation
The Jefferson County Library Foundation and Friends of the Library work to support and enrich the capabilities, resources and services of Jefferson County Public Library through fundraising and advocacy efforts that benefit the community. The Friends of Jefferson County Public Library is a county-wide membership organization dedicated to enhancing the programs and resources of our libraries. For more information, visit www.jeffclf.org.
This article was paid for through an in-kind partnership.
