CHICO — Linda Lunsford and Chico Friends of the Library had a particularly busy Saturday morning during the weekly book sale that raises funds for the Chico branch of the Butte County Library.
Lunsford, a book sale volunteer, said they sold 80 children’s books to just one man. At 25 cents per children’s book, the man’s purchase amounted to $20. Many books are sold at half price.
“It’s a wonderful deal,” Lunsford said.
The book sale takes place every Saturday at 9 a.m. for two hours. It is volunteer-run, and all proceeds go to the library, which has faced a budget crunch. Book sales like these are “crucial” in keeping the library open, Lunsford said as she gestured to the white folding tables covered in hundreds of shiny, colorful books.
Despite the rainy weather, the book sale was bustling with customers, many with a book or two tucked under an arm. The parking lot was full at 10:30 a.m. for the sale and other activities inside.
“The Library is one of the few places that you don’t need money to be in,” said Peter Ratner, a Friends of the Library member. “And it’s also one of the few places you can be if you’re unhoused and you want to get out of the weather, or use a bathroom, or take a nap.”
Friends of the Library is a nonprofit organization that supports the library through paid memberships and volunteer work. Ratner said it is “very important” for him to be a library “Friend” considering the threat of financial cuts.
In September, the Butte County Board of Supervisors used one-time funds to keep library services afloat. Even so, the Chico branch is open only four days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday). Supervisors also approved a contract with an outside consulting firm to conduct polling to see if voters would support a tax measure to fund libraries along with rural fire stations.
“In this city, the way things are, it’s a vital component,” Ratner said of the library.
Stacey Athias and her sister Natasha Darnell come to the book sale almost every weekend.
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“Libraries are just such an important part, I think, of our culture,” Athias said. A marriage family therapist and Chico State alum, Athias often passes on books from the book sale to her clients.
“It’s really cool to see information shared in that way,” she said. “Like, one book can reach a bunch of people, which I think is pretty cool.”
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