Friends of CT Libraries News

Friends of the Prospect Public Library Annual Book Sale Postponed

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 01:24:56 GMT

The Friends of the Prospect Public Library Annual Book Sale has been postponed until late October. Look for their notice on Facebook and the FOCL events web page.

C.H. Booth Library- Little Book Store Temporary Closure

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 17:31:15 GMT

Little Book Store Temporary Closure

To our loyal patrons:

The C.H. Booth Library, which is our home base, is renovating its HVAC system. Our access to our work areas is temporarily curtailed during the renovation.

As a result, our Little Book Store will be closed until that wing of the building is reopened to the public.

Please note that this temporary closure at the library will not affect our 50th Annual Book Sale in July 2026.

For more information and reopening dates, please visit our website boothbooksale.org.

Thank you for your patience. We look forward to seeing you soon.

The Friends of the C.H. Booth Library

25 Main Street

Newtown, CT 07470

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES TO STOP TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ATTACK ON LIBRARIES, MUSEUMS AND WORKERS

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 21:13:06 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, April 4, 2025

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES TO STOP TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ATTACK ON LIBRARIES, MUSEUMS AND WORKERS

AG Tong Joins Coalition Suing to Stop Dismantling of Federal Agencies That Support Libraries, Museums, Minority-Owned Businesses, and Workers

(Hartford, CT) -- Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop the dismantling of three federal agencies that provide services and funding supporting public libraries and museums, workers, and minority-owned businesses nationwide. In March, the Trump administration issued an Executive Order that would dismantle federal agencies created by Congress that collectively provide hundreds of millions of dollars for programs in every state. As a result of this Executive Order, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) – one of the targeted agencies – has placed almost its entire staff on administrative leave and will cut hundreds of grants for state libraries and museums. The lawsuit filed by Attorney General Tong and the coalition seeks to stop the targeted destruction of the IMLS and two other agencies targeted in the administration’s EO that millions of Americans rely on.

“We are back in court yet again today to block the latest in this never-ending torrent of illegal attacks on our families and workers. We had to sue to stop Trump from defunding our schools and cancer cures, from defunding energy assistance and vaccines, from defunding disaster relief and the police. Now, we have to sue again to stop him from defunding summer reading programs and audiobooks for disabled veterans. This is more lawless and needless hurt inflicted on Connecticut families and workers, and we’re fighting back with everything we’ve got,” said Attorney General Tong.

This Executive Order is the administration’s latest attempt to dismantle federal agencies in defiance of Congress. Attorney General Tong and the coalition are seeking to stop the dismantling of three agencies targeted in the administration’s Executive Order:

1. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which supports museums and libraries nationwide;

2. The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), which promotes the growth and inclusion of minority-owned businesses through federal financial assistance programs; and

3. The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), which promotes resolution of labor disputes.

As Attorney General Tong and the coalition assert in the lawsuit, dismantling these agencies will have devastating effects on communities throughout Connecticut and the nation that rely on them to provide important services to the public, including funding their libraries, promoting minority-owned businesses, and protecting workers’ rights.

In 2024, IMLS invested $180 million in libraries nationwide under its Grants to States Program. The administration’s action will threaten hundreds of library staff across the country that provide essential services to their communities.

The Connecticut State Library receives $2.2 million in annual funding from IMLS, supporting the salaries of 13 Connecticut workers and programs across Connecticut providing support for early literacy and summer reading, support for veterans and military families, access to eBooks and audiobooks, among other programs. Federal funding supported 8,827 summer reading programs across Connecticut used by 229,470 children and teens last year alone. Loss of federal funding could have an immediate impact on summer reading programs for 2025. More than 5,500 Connecticut patrons rely on federally-funded accessible audio and braille books, including 316 veterans. Federal funding enables free access to more than 50,000 eBooks for all Connecticut residents.

In addition, the Trump administration has cut the staff of MBDA from 40 to just five individuals and has effectively stopped issuing new grants, hurting vulnerable small businesses across the country. The FMCS has slashed its staff from roughly 200 to fewer than 15 individuals and announced the termination of several of its core programs, making it harder for unionized workers to secure their rights.

Attorney General Tong and the coalition argue that the Executive Order violates the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act by eliminating the programs of agencies without any regard for the laws and regulations that govern each source of federal funding. The coalition argues that the president cannot decide to unilaterally override laws governing federal spending, and that this Executive Order unconstitutionally overrides Congress’s power to decide how federal funds are spent.

This lawsuit is led by the attorneys general of New York, Rhode Island, and Hawaii. Joining the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

###

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Benton

Elizabeth.Benton@ct.gov

860-214-0937 (cell)

Connecticut State Library Receives Notice of Termination of Federal IMLS Grant

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 21:10:56 GMT

CT State Library Press Release LSTA Grant Termination 040425.pdf

Spring 2025 FOCL Point Newsletter is now on-line

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 02:19:50 GMT

If you have not received your Spring 2025 FOCL Point in the mail, it is available on the FOCL web site at https://foclib.org/FOCLPoint

Share this with a friend

Library Lovers Month

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:43:05 GMT

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15hRDGQKdw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Southbury Library, closed since August's historic floods finds temporary location

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:34:50 GMT

https://apple.news/Any_6nYNgQpS_s2gb13LWrg

New feature film "Banned Together"

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 02:38:03 GMT

Hi FRIENDS OF LIBRARIES!!! I am the producer of the new feature film Banned Together. This is the first feature film to tackle the ongoing issues of book bans, censorship and students' fight for intellectual freedom.

Special announcement that I hope you'll get excited about -

Banned Together has not yet been released and is not available to the general public, so if you can't get to an in-person screening you can't see the film...so it might be something your followers/members/staff would be interested in and we'd love the outreach support.

We are holding a Banned Together Inauguration/MLK Day Virtual Event of the film on Jan. 20^th -

if people are looking for "alternative programming"...

We expect this will attract a few thousand viewers and a bit of press - we have a lot of support for doing this including the ALA.

This is a ticketed event - and works much like renting a film on Amazon Prime - you pay a ticket price, and on the 20^th you can start watching the film (any time) and you have access for 48 hours after that day. Open to anyone who wants to watch the film.

We have a special discount code for Friends of Library members: FRIENDS20

I hope you can provide the information far and wide to your membership!

All of the details are on the actual landing page - this is the page you would send out to people you think may want to watch the film!

https://watch.eventive.org/bannedtogether/play/677c157908e134846a4f265c

AND we're planning to have 5-6 special video messages prior to the film that day - from Jodi Picoult, Ellen Hopkins, and more more surprise celebrity guests.....only for the viewers who participate on that day.

thanks!

Jenn Dumas Wiggin

ACLB Webinar Recording--Standing Strong: The Three-Legged Stool Approach for Libraries

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 13:04:33 GMT

The ACLB/FOCL Webinar Standing Strong: The Three-Legged Stool Approach for Libraries. For a recording of this program is available for viewing. To access this recording, clink on the link below. Use this passcode: Passcode: ?7Sx5yKk

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/XKIyr2DVZqJp-_Vptl3wShNs8rSnVBZ9vc8WCLhVNmTBTcwhGiNY3mAq-9Sj7RA1.e2zZ2F398UQ2gNnk?startTime=1730329246000

New Grants for Friends of Libraries

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 01:15:37 GMT

Penguin Random House & United for Libraries

Announce New Grants for Friends of Libraries

https://americanlibraryassociation.informz.net/informzdataservice/onlineversion/ind/bWFpbGluZ2luc3RhbmNlaWQ9MTE3MjcxNjImc3Vic2NyaWJlcmlkPTExNjU1NjM5ODU=

2024 Friends of Blackstone Library Fall Booksale on the Branford Green

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 18:58:23 GMT

THANK YOU!

Wow! Our 2024 Friends of Blackstone Library Fall Booksale on the Branford Green had a wonderful response including a record turnout on opening night. We’re truly grateful for your enthusiasm and love of books!

Based on preliminary estimates – this year's sales and attendance set a new record. This will enable the Friends of Blackstone Library to donate additional funds to the Blackstone Library, providing our Branford community with more enrichment programs, materials, and activities.

Thank you also for recognizing the effort and time in planning, preparing, and hosting our fall sale – it means a lot to our hard-working volunteers. Your support means a lot to us.

We are working on making the shopping experience on opening night more enjoyable for all next year. There is always room for improvement!

Where do the leftover books go?

Like numerous Friends organizations across Connecticut, we collaborate with Bay State Books to gather any unsold books remaining after our sale and find them new homes. This past weekend, we sold about 85% of our inventory under the tent.

Before packing the books for Bay State Books, as in past years, we allow other local non-profits, Branford Rotary Club, and Read to Grow, to select books that have not sold.

Excitingly, we’ve also established a recent partnership with Friends of Kenya, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating lasting change in the poorest regions of Kenya by building libraries and transforming schools. Many of the remaining books were gathered after our sale on Sunday and will be shipped to enthusiastic readers and learners in Kenya. A heartfelt thank you to Friends of Kenya for the incredible work you do!

Again, A BIG THANK YOU to our business sponsors who have helped us raise the tent this year, and our business donors who have helped support us in other ways for this year's sale.

Feel free to share this email with your loved ones! Our next year’s weekend sale is set to open on September 18, 2025.

Remember, if you can't wait until next September, our library sales cart offers books for purchase throughout the year, situated in the library's rotunda. We restock with fresh selections weekly!

We also plan to re-open our Virtual Book Cart in mid-November!

Enjoy your next literary adventure!

Wish to contact us or learn more?

Send an email to friends@blackstonelibrary.org or visit us at https://www.blackstonelibrary.org/friends

Southbury Public Library announcement

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 21:13:40 GMT

https://www.southburylibrary.org/about-us/support-the-library/friends

Register for FOCL's Fundraising Expo!

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 16:26:51 GMT

The FOCL Fundraising Expo will be held Saturday, March 23, 2019 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the University of Hartford.

More information. Print registration form. Register online.

Register for FOCL's Annual Fall Conference

Mon, 25 Sep 2017 13:11:42 GMT

The FOCL Annual Fall Conference will be held at Central Connecticut State University on Saturday, November 18, 2017. Information is available on the website and online registration will be available soon. If you have any questions, email friendsctlibraries@gmail.com.

Advocacy 101

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 16:35:48 GMT

Time To Talk Library With Your Officials

For almost 20 years Kate Robinson has been a lobbyist for Connecticut nonprofits.

“I represent an army of people in every community in the state,” Robinson said.

Now “we’re in the worst economic situation we’ve ever been in in my career” with a budget deficit forecast at $1.5 billion. It’s a very stressful time for all, she said.

In 2017 the state government will set a budget for the next two years. In 2016 the General Assembly had to revise budgets down because of the economy. The state had asked every agency to cut its budget request by 10 percent.

This is how it works: In mid-fall agencies submit budget requests to the Office of Policy and management. In late fall the governor and that office devise a budget request to submit to the General Assembly on Feb. 8.

The appropriations committee hears testimony for agencies Feb. 13-24. Then the finance and appropriations committees have to reconcile what agencies want with the money available.

That’s the “room where it happens,” Robinson said, referring to a song from the popular Broadway musical “Hamilton.”

Spring is the crucial time for Friends to speak up for their libraries. “Everyone is going to be fighting for survival,” she said.

The Connecticut Library Association will be organizing people to testify before the appropriations committee. But even if you aren’t the one addressing the committee, you can support libraries by just going to the hearing when the issue of libraries comes up. If everyone dresses in the same color — in 2015 time red was chosen — it shows a visual presence.

You can also call or meet your local legislators and advocate for libraries. Friends could organize a meeting at their library with a group of patrons to discuss funding.

In this past election, 33 new people were elected.

“It’s important that you reach out to these freshmen,” Robinson said. Get to know them and their priorities.

“Don’t get nervous about meeting with them,” she said. “Legislators are people, too!”

Congratulate them for winning their election. Follow up by meeting with them in their district or at the State Capitol. Introduce yourself and wear a nametag.

Find out what you have in common with your legislator — sports team you both follow, a school you both attended, a book you both like. These elected officials represent you so you need to build a relationship with them.

Make sure they know that libraries provide core services to their communities and help solve local problems. Quote facts — the number of items borrowed, the number of computer hours, the programs for the elderly, for children. If they ask you a question that you can’t answer, tell them you can get that for them later.

If you can’t talk with your elected official, speak to her aide. If you call and get a recording, leave a nice message and ask for them to call back, Robinson said. Expect them to do so.

In addition to the Friends, ask any community groups that use your library to speak with an elected official on your behalf. Write letters to newspapers because that’s what your local legislators are reading.

Friend your legislators on Facebook. If they are featured in a news story, cut it out and send it to them with a note because personal notes matter.

“Just because we’re good at what we can do doesn’t mean we’re going to get all that we need,” she said.

One Friend from Granby, Jane Reardon, said she also talks with legislators on behalf of the American Lung Association.

“One thing they coach us on is to present only one fact (per meeting),” she said, “but also tell a personal story.”

Don’t forget your local elected officials, said Frank Ridley, president of FOCL and the Meriden Friends group.

“Once you develop that relationship you can build on it,” he said. “I meet regularly for coffee with local and state legislators.”

We All Need to Champion Our Libraries

Sat, 31 Dec 2016 16:50:02 GMT

If you believe in the value of your library, you need to advocate for it. That could mean going to a rally like the one last year at the State Capitol.

But it also means speaking up for your library whenever you get a chance, whether at your town council meeting, to your friends and family, or at your business.

“If you don’t do it, nobody is going to do it for you,” said Libby Post of the firm Communications Services of Albany, N.Y.

That was her message at an advocacy workshop Jan. 20 at the South Windsor Library. It was one of six free workshops she offered library Friends, staff, trustees and the public. Four workshops have already been held and two more are scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 27 — 10 a.m. to noon at the Oliver Wolcott Library in Litchfield and 2 to 4 p.m. at the Easton Public Library.

Back up your support with statistics, which you can get from your library or the Connecticut State Library at http://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/dld/stats.

Funding is always the issue, Post said, but people need to start thinking in terms of how much money their libraries save them. Circulation staff could put a dollar amount to each person’s check out — 5 DVDs or books are saving that patron $100.

Libraries serve two-thirds of the public using less than 2% of all tax dollars. And every year their budgets are cut.

But, “we can no longer afford to do more with less,” she said. Many school libraries have closed so students depend even more on public libraries.

A Pew Research study showed “people love their libraries even more for what they say about their communities than for how libraries met their personal needs,” Post said “What would it say about your community if you let your library close?”

The Pew study said that 90% of Americans, age 16 and older, say closing their local library would impact their communities and 63% said it would have a mayor impact. And 18- to 34-year olds are the fastest growing number of library users, she said. They use the library to find out if what they read online is true.

“Libraries give people a tremendous chance to succeed, and people say they realize that,” Post said.

Libraries have a great reputation for customer service and can build on that to advocate. Staff should want to because it’s their salaries on the line.

People who have extensive economic, social, technological and cultural resources are most likely to use and value libraries. Library supporters need to target the others — people who don’t use technology, don’t have pride in their community and are less likely to take part in cultural activities.

Libraries need to make sure the public knows of all they offer, including doing this through their websites and other social media.

Does your library partner with the schools? Serve veterans and immigrants? Help local businesses and job seekers? Teach technology including the latest things such as 3-D printers? Let people know.

Once you have gathered facts about your library, you need to get them out to the public and elected officials, Post said. Start by figuring out who in your community are the leaders. Officials will expect to hear from your library board but what about the head of the Rotary, the hospital president, the chamber of commerce?

“Reach out to groups [and invite them to] use your meeting rooms,” she said. “And while they’re there, talk about information you might have on their subject in the library.”

If you have Little League sign-up at your library, have a display on baseball books, maybe even buy a sign at the ball diamond. That way you might be reaching people who haven’t been using your library and turning them into supporters.

“Volunteer messengers not directly affiliated with the library can be more powerful,” Post said.

If you are doing a campaign for an issue, whether it be to expand or whatever, she said it’s important to have a strong, clear message. “Giving away bookmarks [with a few facts about your issue] at the circulation desk is one of the most potent ways of reaching people,” she said.

Get officials to come to libraries when there are a lot of people there, maybe a kick-off to summer reading. And once you give your pitch to people, don’t just say, “I hope you’ll support us.” Instead ask, “Will you support us on this?”

Don’t apologize that libraries need funding. In many towns, they are part of the government. They are as essential to a community as schools, health care and the police.

Appeal to emotions when you sell your library. Post said one library she worked for used a successful grandma campaign, saying such things as: “Grandma says everyone has to pay their fines.” “Grandma says you can renew your books by phone.” “Grandma says be responsible about what you view online.”

Counter any claims made by anti-tax people with facts about how libraries are essential, both for the items they provide and the space they offer.

You can bring advocacy to your library, Post said, using these steps:

Don’t get overwhelmed
Have a plan
Determine your brand
Be bold
Be clear and concise
Look at other successful libraries

Friends Encouraged To Talk Up Their Libraries With Officials

Fri, 30 Dec 2016 16:55:12 GMT

Friends groups can support their libraries by more ways than financially. They can also support them by talking with officials about what the library means for their communities.

Libraries “set the community spirit for a town,” said Sen. Cathy Osten of Sprague. Osten spoke at the Friends of Connecticut Libraries Fall Conference in November at Central Connecticut State University.

Real estate agents will tell you that if a library is dingy, it isn’t inviting for someone considering moving to town.

“When you ask them why people move there, what attracts people, the library is always mentioned as a key asset,” she said.

Her local library in Sprague came up with a booklet, using statistics available from the state, to explain how many people use the library and for what reasons.

“It’s not just that repository (of books) but used for job searching,” she said. It’s where senior citizens and Girl Scouts often meet, where middle-schoolers hang out and where she often meets with constituents.

As the first selectwoman of Sprague, Osten is also in charge of local funding for her local library.

She said they got more than $1 million from a variety of funds to renovate an old grist mill that houses the library, which included installing an elevator.

Talk to your state legislators and let them know that you, as a constituent, want them to support libraries. Tell them why your library is important and deserves more funding. But keep your message short.

“Don’t write long emails to people because they won’t be read,” Osten said. Instead use simple bullet points and get to the message.

Contact people in different ways — one-on-one, at a public meeting, at some board meeting. You can’t expect others to do this.

“If you want your library saved in the state budget, you need to be active. You can’t just let lobbyists do it,” she said.

“Usually it takes twice or three times to get people to respond to you.”

In response to a question about the most effective way to get legislators’ attention, Osten said the

worst time is in the middle of a crisis. The upcoming special legislation session from February to May won’t allow much time.

You could band together with people from nearby towns and meet with two or three legislators at the same time. Or host a breakfast for your legislators to come talk with constituents and hand them a one-page report with your key points.

One area vital to small town libraries is borrowing items from other libraries. It gives them access to books they might never be able to see without it. The state funds this service.

Advocacy training for Friends groups is available from the state, said Dawn LaValle, director of library development for Connecticut.

“We already know how well (libraries) serve our community,” LaValle said. “We just need to get the word out.”

Another place to find out how to help is a free online course called “Library Advocacy Unshushed,” said a Friend from Canterbury. He found it on edx.org by searching for the word “library.”

The size of your group doesn’t matter, Osten said. Just present your message in a clear and concise way to show the value of your library.

How Does Your Book Sale Compare With Others?

Thu, 29 Dec 2016 16:56:29 GMT

The average price of a hard-cover book at Connecticut library book sales is $2.

The average price of a mass market paperback is 50 cents.

Those were just two conclusions from a survey that the Friends of Connecticut Libraries took this year of Friends groups. A total of 65 groups responded, said Carl Nawrocki, of the FOCL board, who presented results at the Fall Conference in November at Central Connecticut State University.

The average price of DVDs is going up from $1 to $2.

The average price of CDs — $ 1or $2.

The average number of books at sales is 5,000 to 10,000.

The prices charged for children’s books is pretty much the same as for adult books, although some libraries charge just 25 cents for paperback fiction.

Some groups separate books into categories, such as mysteries, fiction, romance, business, cookbooks, politics, history, etc. The number of categories averages 20 to 30.

For children’s books: young adult, preschoolers, board books, science, reference, animals, humor, etc.

“We separated children’s books into categories and tripled sales,” said a Friend from Russell Library, Middletown.

Others said sorting through a mass of books is part of the fun for buyers.

Most libraries don’t charge for early admission to a sale, which Nawrocki said he couldn’t understand, adding it was an easy way to make money. Those who do charge often ask $5.

A Farmington Friend said dealers told them they were happy to pay $10 to get in before the sale opened to the public because there were fewer people. The Friends group was glad to do it because dealers tended to buy more.

Cheshire calls their early opening a “members-only preview;” that prompts many dealers to join the Friends, they said.

Enfield Friends allow handicapped people to come in the afternoon before the crowds, saying it brought “really, really, really good press.”

Two thirds of the groups hold bag sales the last day, with the average price of $5. However, South Windsor charges $8 a bag, said a member of their Friends.

Granby doesn’t hold a bag sale on the last day because a lot of senior citizens can only afford a couple of books, said a member of their Friends. Instead they ask for donations per book.

Profits from book sales range from under $2,000 to $50,000 a year, according to the survey. And most groups hold one or two sales each year, for an average of three days at a time.

Other than book sales, 18% of Friends said they operate a book store year round. And 80% said they have some space set aside, such as a bookcase, to sell books where they sell books all the time.

Just Because a Book Is Old Doesn’t Mean It’s Valuable

Tue, 27 Dec 2016 16:58:58 GMT

You find a first edition of “Angela’s Ashes” in with donated books.

Eureka! You think. It’s worth a fortune.

But antique book dealer John Kehoe of Norwalk will tell you that not only is it not worth thousands, it’s not worth even $1.

Kehoe shared a lot of other lessons about what makes a book valuable when he talked to the Friends of Connecticut Libraries at the Fall Conference Nov. 14 at Central Connecticut State University.

The most important thing is the condition of the book.

“Condition is to rare books what location is to real estate,” he said. “Collectors want a perfect copy.” A perfect “Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test” will sell for $750 but a bad one you can’t even give away. Three things that used to drive book values were scarcity, content and appearance. Now appearance is the most important.

“The money is in the dust jacket,” Kehoe said. A book with a dust jacket in pristine shape can be worth 95% more. There is only one known copy of Theodore Dreiser’s “Sister Carrie” with a dust jacket and it is worth $100,000, he said.

“Take care of those dust jackets!” Kehoe said. If a dust jacket is starting to chip, you might get a few dollars more for the book if you put it in a plastic cover.

It’s even harder to find children’s books in good condition. A pristine copy of “Make Way for Ducklings” could sell for $12,000, he said. And very rare is a pre-1960s book with a dust jacket.

He did find one valuable book in the 30 or so that Friends brought to him – one by Charles Darwin. “Any copy of Darwin before 1900 sells,” he said.

One of the most important things you can do at sales is price items appropriately, Kehoe said.

“You can’t run a sale with overpriced books. Buyers are too smart.” A successful sale has little left at the end, he said.

People who try to find what a book is worth by looking it up on the Internet often get the wrong idea. Dealers will put up the price they would like to get for a book, not what it is actually worth.

“What you see are the unsold books,” Kehoe said. “A first edition of ‘Valley of the Dolls’ will sell for $100. People who list it higher won’t sell it.”

You can pay to get access to a site such as Rare Book Hub, which gives the actual selling price of rare books. And the site ABAA.org will show you what professional book sellers are asking for rare books.

“If you have a really good book, price it so it will sell,” he said. “If you price it too high you won’t get it. The important thing is to just get more than you paid for it.” And remember, you got a book as a donation.

A few other tips:

Don’t use stickers on books because they can damage the dust jackets.
Don’t stock unsaleable books such as “The DaVinci Code” or “A Day in the Life of America.” (Anyone who wants to read them already has.) “The idea of throwing out a book is not that bad,” Kehoe said.
Don’t waste time alphabetizing fiction because it has no impact on sales.

The way to get better at pricing valuable books is just like anything else – practice. Set prices and see if books sell for what you ask. A few books on book collecting include “The ABC for Book Collectors” by John Carter and “Among the Gently Mad” by Nicholas Basbanes.

Signed books can be more valuable unless it’s an author known for signing easily. Even if the signature includes a note to someone, that wouldn’t hurt the price.

Who collects rare and antique books? Kehoe said he doesn’t know because it really isn’t a good investment. Books that were valuable 100 years ago often are no longer worth anything.

“Some people collect books because they have a socially acceptable form of OCD,” he guessed.

Kehoe said he got into book selling by accident, just wandering into second-hand bookstores and asking questions. When he found it more interesting than his job at the time – industrial construction management – he made it his career.

He used to pick up books at library book sales but said things are changing. Libraries have gotten better at pulling out valuable books before dealers such as him can find them. And some people go through sales with scanners, picking anything valuable.

Kehoe recommended not consigning books to an auction house because they generally take 25% of a sale and make you wait 90 days for the money. And dealers don’t like to buy at auction, so you’ll end up losing a lot of money.