Book lovers rejoice: Find your next favorite story at the Used Book Sale

Published 4:02 am Sunday, March 8, 2026

By Mary Richardson

Polly Cole marvels at the number of books that will be sold at the Used Book Sale coming up at the end of the month. Tables will be overflowing with thousands and thousands of books, puzzles and more.

“There is so much!” Cole said. “This year might be the biggest sale of them all. We have received so many donations that there must be a lot of empty bookshelves in town.” However, those empty shelves, she added, “can easily be refilled with a trip to our book sale!”

Dates of the sale are Friday through Sunday, March 27-29, and the location will again be the gym at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 715 Kirkman. Hours are 8-6 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 8-4 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, and 11-4 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, which is the day of the famous “$5 bag” sale. People are given sturdy bags and pay $5 for as many books as the bag can hold.

“There is no limit on the number of bags,” Cole points out, “and some people walk out with four or five of the $5 bags.”

Prices have not gone up. Most books are $3 or less. DVDs and LP albums are $1; music CDs are two for $1. There will be more than 700 jigsaw puzzles in the sale. Most range from $3 to $6, with a few special puzzles marked more. As always, some items are of exceptional quality or rarity. “We mark them with colored ribbons, and they are priced a bit higher.”

Each year, certain aspects of the sale stand out, according to Cole. This year, it is sets of books that have high-quality, beautiful leather bindings. Her favorite set is a collection of classics by the Easton Press of Norwalk, Conn., which she says is a renowned publisher of leather-bound books known for features such as 22-karat gold accents, archival paper, Smyth-sewn binding, and moiré silk endpapers.

“The books are absolutely beautiful,” Cole said, holding up her favorite, “Moby Dick; or, The Whale” by Herman Melville, illustrated by Boardman Robinson.

This year will also include many books that appear brand new. These books will escape the examination by the women who organize the book sale. These women flip through all the pages, looking for damage, excessive highlighting or underlining. Sometimes this examination leads to unusual discoveries.

“We expect to find a lot of bookmarks,” Cole said, “but we’ve also found $120 in cash, family photos, and even a sonogram!” Through “detective” work, all of these items were returned to their owners, she added.

The books are divided into more than 50 categories. Romance and fantasy books, now called “Romantasy,” are among the most sought after books. The categories of children’s books and sci-fi continue to grow in popularity, and hardback fiction and mysteries remain very much in demand.

All of the work of organizing the sale is voluntary. Cole heads a committee of women who meet every week for six months of the year to sort and evaluate the books. Volunteers include Pam Clark, Bridgette Maze, Karen Garber, Kathy Griffith, Amy Allen, Debbie Howrey, Kay House, Deb Fontenot, Penny Haxthausen, Cindy Monroe, and Rhonda Chargois. Proceeds from the sale are given to local nonprofit agencies. Recipients this year will be DeWanna’s Community Closet, Holy Ground Homeless Outreach GIM, LA-Sulphur Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Care Help of Sulphur, Reins of Hope at Le Bocage, and the Good Shepherd Brown Bag Program.

Cole says there are plenty of opportunities for community members to get involved. The committee organizing the book sale consists of about half Good Shepherd Episcopal Church members and half community volunteers. Cole is asking for help in the days leading up to the sale. “We need people to volunteer to stock and restock the tables,” she said. The critical times are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 24-26, the Tuesday through Thursday before the sale starts on Friday.

People who are interested in volunteering can message Cole through the Facebook page “Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd Used Book Sale.”