Photo provided Shoppers look through the books available at a previous Friends of the Cape Coral Library sale. File photo

A tradition of more than 25 years will fill the large meeting room at the Cape Coral Library as thousands of books will be put on display for the Cape Coral Library Fall Book Sale fundraiser.

Following a members preview on Thursday, the doors will open Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and again on Saturday, during the same hours, at 921 SW 39th Terrace.

Non-members who would like to attend the members preview can join the Friends at the door by paying the annual dues of $20 per family.

Friends of the Cape Coral Library Publicity and Art Gallery Chairperson Monica Rahman said they hold the book sale twice a year — once in the fall, usually November, and the other during the spring in April. Although the number varies from sale to sale, at least 8,000 books will be for sale including an assortment of children’s and teen books, fiction and nonfiction books sorted by category.

“We have to have a storage facility offsite to be able to keep all the books that are donated. One time, I counted the boxes — 500 cartons,” she said, adding that around 40 volunteer members will give their time that morning and afternoon. “I never miss the day before the book sale. It’s like Christmas morning for a book lover. It is really an exciting time.”

The prices are an incredible deal as they start for as little as 50 cents for traditional paperbacks to $1 for trade softcovers and traditional hardcovers are $2.

Rahman said the children’s books are usually half the price — hardcopy $1, softcover only 50 cents — making them an even bigger bargain price.

“We put them all out in the large meeting room in one day,” she said. “We are all volunteers with the Friends of the Library. We open the boxes and then we sort them and put them out on all the tables.”

A book craft table will also be on display featuring repurposed books made by the Friends of the Library members.

“Instead of recycling them, we have repurposed them,” Rahman said of some of the older books made into trees out of the pages and bookmarks.

“We won’t know until they arrive –the surprise table with book crafts,” she said.

Special books — collector items –will also be set up. Rahman said there may be signed books, or specific interest for collectors.

“The special table might also include Florida gardening, Florida authors — many of those are signed,” she said. “Those are priced as marked. They are still a great bargain. It’s not unusual to be half of what it is listed online.”

There are also DVDs, CDs, and audiobooks for sale. The CDs are $1, and DVDs range from $1 to $4. The audiobooks are $4.

Record albums, $1 each, will also be among the items for sale this year.

“Something we might not have had in past sales,” she said.

All the items for sale are donated to the Friends of the Library.

“They are gently used, resale quality,” Rahman said. “There are always books that look like they have never been cracked open and in pristine condition; good for a holiday gift.”

Only cash and a personal checks will be accepted as payment at the book sale.

The Friends of the Cape Coral Library is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a mission to support the Cape Coral Library. The organization, which recently celebrated its 52nd anniversary, is 284 members strong.

“The library gives us a wish list — things that aren’t covered by the county library administration. The enhancements to the library experience; those are the things that we take care of,” she said.

In years past, the funds from the book sale have purchased the audio-visual system and tables on wheels. Rahman said it also enables them to be a very generous sponsor for the Southwest Florida Reading Festival held every year in March, as well as sponsoring the Butterfly Garden at the library.

The proceeds also go towards the library’s art gallery, which changes exhibits at least six to seven times a year featuring local artists.

She said they also work with the Lee County Library System to sponsor an environmental art contest for children aged 5 to 12. This year’s theme, Let’s Protect the Mangroves, has a due date of noon on May 3, 2025.

The big awards ceremony for the art contest winners is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 14.

Rahman said youths can stop by their booth at the Southwest Florida Reading Festival, as well as the Burrowing Owl Festival to create their entry, or they can do it at home.

Donations for resale quality books, CDs and DVDs for the sale are accepted year-round.

For more information, call (239) 349-2572, visit www.capefriends.org, or follow them on Facebook.