The 12th Annual Times 91原创 Book Sale wrapped up yesterday after raising $174,150 for Island literacy projects.
More than half the 500,000 books donated were gone by the end of the sale yesterday, estimated Kathy Baan, Times 91原创 promotions co-ordinator.
"The volunteers worked super hard ... we're tired but happy," Baan said.
Almost 10,000 people passed through the doors of the former NOW Furniture building on Douglas Street over the weekend. Some arrived at 3 a.m. Saturday to beat the lineup that eventually spanned several blocks.
With most books priced from $1 to $3, people left the sale with volumes by the bag, box and suitcase-full.
Baan said she was worried the sputtering economy would put a damper on things, but book donations and customer numbers were up from previous years. Buyers were holding tighter to their wallets, though, which meant sales were down about $13,000 from last year, she said.
Today, teachers and representatives from non-profit organizations can raid the remaining stock of books and take what they want for free. Whatever is left over is sold by the pound to a book dealer in 91原创.
"So we make money on the books no matter what," Baan said.
This year, more volunteers than ever helped out, she said, with an estimated 500 people staffing the book-collection drives and the sale.
Yesterday, with five minutes left to go in the two-day sale, volunteers were exhausted from lifting, sorting and pricing books, said Bob Taylor, volunteer co-ordinator.
"You hit a stage of euphoria, and then you hit a wall," Taylor said. "The volunteers are extremely enthusiastic about this day, so they are running on adrenaline right now."
Part of Canwest's Raise-a-Reader Campaign, the sale has raised more than $1 million for literacy projects over the last 12 years.
