Hundreds of book enthusiasts scoured the shelves of Memorial Library last week Wednesday to Saturday in search of their next novel. Twice a year, The Friends of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries host a book sale giving Madisonians the opportunity to browse a diverse selection of literature and materials donated by the library and community members.
All proceeds from the event help support UW-Madison libraries — funding their public events, Grants for Scholars program and the preservation of library materials.
On Oct. 22, enthusiasm was high as nearly 100 people queued inside Memorial Library awaiting the opening of this fall’s pre-sale. Boasting an impressive collection of nearly 10,000 books and other materials, the semi-annual book sale has become a highly anticipated event attracting avid readers and collectors from across the state. All books on sale were priced at a generous $3 per paperback and $5 per hardcover from Wednesday to Friday, before ending on Saturday with an unbelievable deal of $5 per grocery bag-full.
Maria, a second-timer at the sale, said she came in the spring and appreciates the event as a cheap resource to find new books on topics she’s interested in. “I actually work in the lab at the Waisman Center, so I’ve always been interested in books on the topics of social science and neuroscience as well,” she said. “It’s a nice opportunity to find new books for leisure reading too.”
The event is run by about 100 community volunteers that helped arrange and sift through the countless amounts of materials — including vinyl records, CDs and vintage posters. The Friends of UW-Madison Libraries, one of the nation's oldest library support groups, formed in 1948. The group is composed of alumni, students, faculty and community members who work year round to aid UW-Madison’s academic libraries. In the face of university-wide budget cuts which several libraries responded to by cutting weekend and late-night hours, revenue from the Friends’ semi-annual book sale will prove even more essential.
“Volunteers are the foundation and backbone of this sale,” said Marianne Spoon, Associate Dean for Advancement and Communications at the UW-Madison Libraries.
Volunteers are active multiple times a week — at UW-Madison libraries and in the community — retrieving donated materials to be sorted and prepared for the bi-annual sales. “Volunteers are critical and they’re extraordinarily generous with their time. We really appreciate them,” she said.
The libraries are already preparing for their next book sale in spring 2026. The spring sale date will be available on their website in the coming months, but in the meantime, Spoon said the community can continue to give back by volunteering, giving gifts through the Libraries Impact Fund or simply spending time at their favorite campus library.
“These are ways that we continue to serve the community and the community continues to shape who we are and what we do,” Spoon said.
