Used-Book Sale to Benefit Main Library, Branch

It’s not exactly Magic Johnson at the Great Western Forum, but when the Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library start selling used books for less than a buck a pop, lines start to form.

“People do get there early,” said Barb Wilson, who is coordinating a book sale today to benefit the main library and its Newbury Park branch. “There’s usually a line before we even open the doors. People know there are some good deals to be found.”

The sale will feature thousands of paperback and hardcover books for 25 to 75 cents apiece, and children’s books for 10 to 50 cents each.

Book sets, Apple educational software, and collectible paperbacks will be individually priced.

Although the Thousand Oaks Library frequently features used-book sales, today’s event will be different because it features more books--particularly a huge number of computer manuals and software that residents have donated, Wilson said.

The overwhelming majority of the used books have been donated.

The sale is also special because the Thousand Oaks Library is in special need of help right now, organizers say.

The library’s traditional home at 1401 E. Janns Road suffered damage during the Northridge earthquake when fire sprinklers soaked books, walls and carpeting.

During the reconstruction effort, city officials discovered that penicillium mold spores had sprouted inside some of the interior walls. When the airborne spores reached potentially hazardous levels in September, the library had to be closed.

The building is undergoing repairs and will not open until the end of the year, according to city officials. In the meantime, the Thousand Oaks Library has moved to a temporary location at 2400 Willow Lane.

The used-book sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the temporary library site.

For information, call 493-2179.