Used book store to celebrate anniversary

• Used book store

Press Photos by Linda Sailer Volunteer Marie Thompson of Dickinson, left, unpacks a box of donated books, while volunteer Sharleen Fraaze arranges books in the children’s section on Wednesday at the Twice Sold Tales Used Book Store in Dickinson.

Talk about it

Customers like to browse through the shelves of books or put a puzzle piece in place at the Twice Sold Tales Used Book Store. They may pause to visit with the store’s volunteers before leaving with an armful of books or magazines.

The Friends of the Dickinson Area Public Library are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the used book store’s opening on Tuesday at 128 Second St. W. Coffee and cookies will be served.

“The building was purchased by the Dickinson Area Public Library Foundation and was sold to the Friends for a $1,” said Renee Paasch, library director.

She remembers when the library held a yearly book sale at Prairie Hills Mall.

“We would haul donated items in boxes up to the mall, then we would unpack them, set up the tables and have a sale for three days,” Paasch said. “Everything that wasn’t sold was repacked and hauled to a storage unit. It was quite a lot of work.”

For their efforts, the Friends could earn up to $3,000.

In comparison, the used bookstore raised $28,500 in 2010. Since January, the bookstore has netted $23,500.

“It’s a real blessing for us,” she said.

The bookstore relies on donations of quality books and magazines — items that aren’t dirty, moldy or water-damaged.

“We price them very reasonable and all monies made from the sales of books and magazines come back to the library,” she added.

With the income, the Friends recently purchased a work station and computer, donated $5,000 toward purchase of equipment and furniture for the children’s area, and $20,000 toward landscaping for the north parking lot. Recently, the Friends gave $1,500 toward the library’s new “Book Clubs in a Bag” program.

Loretta Biederstedt, who manages the bookstore, makes sure it’s staffed with volunteers, the shelves are tidy and the books are rotated in and out on a timely basis.

At some point in time, the books are reduced in price or thrown out, she said.

“Of course westerns are the top seller — we never get enough of those,” she said. “Most of the books run from 50 cents up to $6 — occasionally something is a little higher.”

Biederstedt credits the volunteers for making the store a success.

“Some of the volunteers have been here since we started the store,” she added.

Marie Thompson has volunteered for six years.

“I’m not one of the originals, but I am one of the first shoppers,” she said.

She likes to visit with the customers, ask them what they were looking for and suggest different authors.

“What I find so interesting here is the people you meet — I haven’t met anybody I wouldn’t want to visit with,” she said.

Thompson’s partner for the day was Sharleen Fraaze, who has volunteered for four years. Her niche at the store is keeping the children’s section tidy and attractive. She thought it was time to set out the Christmas storybooks.

It isn’t just the children who like the storybook corner. Teachers often get books for their classrooms, Thompson added.

“We had sold so many we had a short shelf, but now it’s all filled up again,” she said.

Browsing through the shelves at the book store, Linda Binek was looking for poetry for her book club’s Christmas dinner.

“I don’t come that often but I love to look at the books and get books,” she said.

Tom Williams is a frequent customer, coming three or four times a week.

“The books are reasonably priced and a lot of times the magazines are only a week or two weeks old,” he said.

The book store is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. During the months of September through April, it’s also open the second and fourth Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tags: lifestyle, library, dickinson