The Gazette's Tip Sheet/It's a Date listings for August (dated July 27 2011). The sales, the "It's a Date" portion, is towards the bottom and you have to scoll down to see it. I pasted in the URL for August, as I mentioned after a couple of years or so of a consistent URL for the column, they stopped doing that a few months ago. I wonder if they've changed it due to the Gazette wanting to charge for content? Early September: I'm still trying to find the listing for September, it was in the paper and I forgot to check the website, a websearch doesn't find September's listing.
The Gazette's Fall Fair Guide for 2011 came out on October 12th, and I can find it online here. Mixed in with some specifically book sales, there are various things that in some way mention books for sale.
Expozine, the small magazine fair, is this weekend, November 26-27, details on their website. And it has nothing to do with books (though they do often have some relevant new books on sale) but the Canada Tibet Committee is having their Tibetan Bazaar Nov 26-27, details here. With Buddhist monks and nuns immolating themselves in Tibet (there can't be a worse way to die, I once saw someone set himself on fire), Tibet has to be visible.
Skip down to list of 2011 upcoming used book sales in Montreal
I have been sloppy this month, depression over the McGill Book Fair again (it's worse than that it's been declared the final one, I've never seen so few books as this year. The organizers were tired, but they really drove it into the ground in the last few years, they couldn't even give it a good sendoff). I had expected the Pierrefond Library to have a book sale, and I did searches, and I think it took place on November 12th, I did find something too late that suggested there was a sale that day out there. The Montreal West Children's Library had their sale today, Friday November 25th, I knew about that one, just lost track of time. I went out that way about five years ago in a mild snowstoorm and gave up, it not being where I expected it, so I still wonder if it's children's books (and maybe discards) or a general book sale to raise funds to buy children's books for the library. But besides The Westmount Library Nov 26-27, on Sunday November 27th The Friends of Stewart Hall are having a book sale from 13:00 to 17:00 at the Pointe-Claire Cultural Centre, 176 Lakeshore Road. And it does seem to be general donated books, rather than clearing out esoteric history books. All the details I've seen are here. I think that's it for the year 2011, unless the Atwater Library has a sudden sale in December. I expect one or more of the West Island libraries to have sales early in the new year, and one of the NDG churches seems to have an annual book sale to raise money for the NDG Food Depot in early January.
Skip down to Non-Montreal book sales
I wasn't paying attention, but Argo Books has finally been sold, the story up at their website. When I passed by this week (Nov 16) there were some posters up announcing a "new owner sale", clearing out some of the stock, not clear how long it will last. Even worse, apparently the open mic nights disappeared for a while. But they had one on Wednesday November 16th, though no mention if this will be a regular thing yet. I missed that because I wasn't looking, but oddly there was no visible mention that the open mic nights has been put on hold, so I just assumed they were chugging along.
Westcott Books has finally moved, only about 3 months after the deadline, to 4065 St. Lawrence Blvd, just above Duluth. They were still there on Wednesday October 12th, though it looked much emptier than it had been. A pile of computer books for free outside, I grabbed "Perl in a Nutshell", a couple of others were tempting but then I realized only for historical reasons, I don't really need more old books about Linux. Then the next time I passed by was Saturday October 15th, and the store is empty. I can't remember what it was before they moved in. I'll miss stopping and checking the cheap books outside as I pass by, I suddenly realize that block will now be pretty dead, despite being cluttered with partygoers. I've gotten out of the habit of going into used book stores, I'd do it too often. But in the early spring about 1993, I was coming home from something, maybe Balinese Gamelan music at UdM late in the evening, and spotted two "Tom Corbett Space Cadet" books in the window, I hadn't seen those since I stupidly sold my almost complete collection in the early seventies, thinking that I'd grown up. I figured someone would grab them, so I rushed over the next day fairly early, and got them. I thought there was a third book, but can't remember if it was a duplcate or not. Meanwhile, about a year ago they started tearing down the Seville, and now some of the new building is far enough along that the first floor is actually liveable. More like a storefront, they've put in fixtures and everyting, I assume to use as a showroom. The construction goes on above.
The founder of Project Gutenberg died in early September, 2011, details are here.
Once upon a time, there were the Winston Science Fiction series of SF books for the "juvenile" reader, that were a staple of many school and public library shelves. A good percentage of them were later republished by other companies (especially those by well known authors like Lester Del Rey and Donald A. Wollheim (his "Secret of the Martian Moons" was probably the first almost current SF book I bought, preceeded by Jules Verne books, though oddly, it took some years before I read any of them). Yet some have never been republished, such as the ones by Raymond F. Jones. Like Heinlein juveniles, they had main characters that were interested in more technical pursuits, amateur radio and building hot rods. I actually reread "The Year When Stardust Fell" from the same library where I once read it from, decades later when someone I knew had membership there. It was reprinted as an ebook, but taken off the market before I had a chance to buy it. Then it's listed in paperback format at Amazon, and I've been meaning to splurge on it. But wait, it's one of those books that have fallen out of copyright, coming in that brief period when books had to have their copyright explicitly renewed. So it's there at Project Gutenberg, the specific page being here. I wonder if his "Son of the Stars" has fallen out of copyright too? That's another one I'd like to reread.
Big news, apparently the Westmount Rotary Club will be having a "garage sale" in 2012. The last time they had one was in 2008, the next year they cancelled because of the impending destruction of the old arena and the building of the new. Of course, 2009, 2010 and 2011 came and went and construction still hasn't begun. One article made a passing reference to the garage sale and made it sound like it had been permanently cancelled, the arena construction being a convenient point to stop it. (Around 2000, they stopped the garage sale and went to an upscale antique show, and they said it was a lot less work and brought in more money, but a few years later the garage sale was back "by popular demand".). But a recent Westmount Examiner article quoted someone at the Rotary Club as saying the "garage sale" will return in 2012, using the arena that won't be demolished till later. How odd, they don't have it when the construction hasn't started, then bring it back as construction begins. I can't help but think they did want it to go away, using the construction as an excuse, and there was again public demand. So come September, they will be looking for donations.
September 29th update. Yes, they are collecting items starting now, but it's vague. They sound like they'll be trying to get the items into the hands of those who need it, and only have the "garage sale" if there are "enough used goods and suitable location".
Back on April 23rd, The Gazette ran a piece about the Drawn & Quarterly Bookstore, Neighbourhood haunt offers literary seduction that includes some quotes from Julia Pohl-Miranda, who I met some years ago at a birthday party. Yes, one of Fred Pohl's granddaughters, I actually found another copy of his late seventies biography a few months ago for a dollar; good thing since the cover has come off my original copy.
Someone's making their usual motions about book discards at McGill, see Free books-paperback novels,academic books,autobiographies on Tuesday. But added to that is a similar notice about book discards at the Atwater Library, see Free books outside Atwater library.
Something I think I tripped over before but then lost track of is that the War Memorial Library in Hudson has a book sale every month, starting on the first Monday and running through to the following Saturday. I guess it's more like a "used book table" than a sale with that frequency and length (maybe not, they have a "shoppe" that's open every Saturday). They take book donations. Hence, I was late in April, but it runs through Saturday April 10th during library hours.
The Fraser-Hickson Library has updated their website at the beginning of Feb 2010, and it looks like they won't be reopening at the Trinity Memorial Church. I've add a Whole Page about the library, trying to link to as many articles about the funding problems they've had since 2001 as I could find.
The Bimetallic Question. ie the local Sherlock Holmes Club, has their next bimonthly meeting Thursday, December 1st.
If anyone is selling books at garage sales this season, heed the words of one "missed connection" from last fall:
To the very cute guy having a yardsale today on st Urbain...
Your selection of books sucked though.
Wired has a bit about print on demand of out of copyright books, Google Lets You Custom-Print Millions of Public Domain Books. There are the obvious books that are so old they've fallen out of copyright, but there was apparently a window in the US where books fell out of copyright if the copyright was not deliberately extended on the specific book, and that period was about fifty years ago. The matter was discussed here and it explains why some relatively recent books like the Tom Corbett: Space Cadet books are at Project Gutenberg. There was one book that fell out of copyright that I wanted, and I missed the chance to buy it as a fairly expensive commercial reprint. Print on demand would get those old books available, and in a much more readable form than online. Now all we need is a local store to get the expensive book printing machine. Wait a minute, according to the company that makes the machine, OnDemandBooks the McGill University Library has one.
Upcoming Used Book Sales 2011
This is now sort of over a decade old. Back in 1997, someone who I
felt was too focused on organizing people than organizing information
posted to the local newsgroup, mtl.general, about a "book swap". I
posted a
reply pointing out all the used
book sales we have in this city. When you can get a book for fifty cents,
or even a dollar, that's pretty close to free. And after
that, when there were a bunch of used book sales coming up, I'd post a
message to the newsgroup. A few years back, I started putting the same
information on this webpage, and that's the only form it exists in
now.
no this isn't complete, some to add that come later, some I expect
later that I've yet to find details.
DDO Library used book sale Sept. 9-18
Up House used book sale Sept 15
Cedar Park United Church used book sale Sept.
23-24
Benny Library used book sale Oct 1
St. Lambert United Church used book sale Oct.
1st
ConU used book fair October 3-4
** update **
Atwater Library used book sale Oct 14-15
Beaconsfield Library used book sale Oct.
15-16
used book sale in Rosemere October 15
Used book sale in Chambly October 22
Deux Montagnes Lions club book sale October
22-23
Used book sale in Hudson October 28-29
Knox Crescent Church in NDG used book sale Nov
18-19
Westmount Library book sale November
26-27
Centre Greene used book sale March 30-31 2012
A little late, but the Dollard des Ormeaux Library is having their annual used book sale from Friday September 9th to Sunday the 18th. There's a not very informative notice up here, which is all I know. The library is at 12001 de Salaberry. The notice last year said the sale began on the Friday at 10am, but nothing else, so I assume it uses the library's opening hours, but who knows.
On Thursday September 15th, from 14:00 to 16:00, the Donald Berman Up House is having a used book sale, at 6909 Decarie Blvd. The only place I've seen a notice is in the Westmount Examiner, this is the first time I've heard of the organization, so it's the first time I've heard of a book sale from them.
Really late (a combination of their earlier date and suddenly it's no longer winter), but the Cedar Park United Church in Pointe Claire is having their Fall used book sale on Friday Sept. 23 from 7pm to 9pm and Saturday Sept. 24 from 9am to 1pm at 204 Lakeview Ave. They do look for donations (and likely will want them again for their Spring book sale). Again like last year, they are combining it with a bake sale and a sort of garage sale (they claim selected items). I don't know if that means the book sale is shrinking, or they are just adding to it. I went a few times years ago, having found something of interest I went back a few times, but haven't recently due to timing/distance. It was a fair book sale back then.
The Partners for the Benny Library are having their fall used book sale on Saturday October 1st on the lawn of the actual library, which is at 3465 Benny (half a block up from Sherbrooke Street, and a block east of Cavendish), NDG. Time is usually 9:30 or 10:00 to 15:00, though that's not announced yet. Actually, all I've seen (on September 17 and not the week before) is a poster at the library where they are looking for volunteers for the book sale that day. If it rains, the raindate is usually the next day. They are likely looking for donations, but again I've yet to see anything about that. In the past, they sometimes have had announcements up and said books could be dropped off at the library during library hours, or on the day of the actual sale, but that may have changed.
It can be fun when the weather is nice, one of the few outdoor book sales. They set up on a bunch of picnic tables. The selection varies, and since the spring one virtually always conflicts with the Fringe Festival, I never get to it, leaving me wondering if the selection in the spring might be better, with people wanting to get rid of books before moving on July 1st.
The St. Lambert United Church is having a used book sale on Saturday Oct. 1st, from 9:00 to 14:00, the church aparently being at the corner of Mercille and Desaulniers, and that's all I know. The notice on their website is here. They've had book sales before.
The Concordia Used Book Fair has announced its dates, Monday Oct. 3 and Tuesday Oct. 4, in the Atrium of the Library building (ie across from the Hall Building) at 1400 de Maisonneuve. From 10:00 to 19:00 both days. They probably want donations but I've yet to find a notice of the process for this year. Last year I found a notice where they were looking for people to help, but they don't bother having a simple page devoted to the event somewhere, even though it's been going on since 1997. There was a short piece about last year's sale a bit after the sale, Used book fair raises $9,426.
Last year it seemed like a larger selection than in some years. The early years they seemed to overflow, then it seemed like the pickings were slim. Last year, there were plenty of boxes on the floor waiting for the books on the table to thin out. Which is why I went both days, it seemed worth returning to see, I found a book by Dorothy Day, founder of The Catholic Worker, the only time I'd seen a copy before was about 30 years ago. They were discarding books through the sale, putting them outside the boundary for people to take, I couldn't decide the criteria since that book by jazz singer Ethel Waters seemed fairly uncommon.
I got there at 10:30, and there seemed a decent crowd. Maybe more of the recognizable book dealers, maybe not. Last year there seemed to be more books than in recent years, plenty of boxes under the tables, and that seemed to be moreso this year. It looked like there is an even bigger fiction section, though that's subjective. A number of computer books, but not really anything interesting. A specific science fiction section, I found nothing I wanted but it was reasonably large (though offset by some of it being fantasy). A similarly sized mystery section. I saw only 2 VHS movies, tucked away among some books, no CDs of DVDs, but they do have National Geographics, for 25cents each.
They've changed the pricing, this year it's:
Books, paperback and hardback 2.00
textbooks (paperback and hardback) 8.00
dictionaries, large art books 5-10.00
and a note saying the cashier may adjust prices, particularly for
children's books (which I suspect means that if you are 6 years old
and buying books, you'll get a lower price).
Again, I'm not sure that's a good step. From history, the higher the prices the less I buy (and the less I spend), and I can't believe I'm the only one. They have a lot of books, and the goal of a book sale is to not just raise money, but to be left with as few books as possible. If they don't sell, they have to be handled some way (keeping them for the next year may not be good, a book sale needs to be fresh to draw people who will buy this now). The books aren't particularly special to warrant better prices. I only bought four books, which reflects the selection but also I'm not going to buy that book "just because" at 2.00 each. It's not like I find that many books I really really want, most books I've never heard of before and are not that spectacular. (Ironically, every so often I have found a Real Find, yet nobody at the book sale notices the value.) Of course, I've been going to used book sales since 1976, so what could be new is relatively limited. I remember at an early ConU book sale, there was one book I was mildly interested in, and so I went back the second day, half an hour before closing, and they still wanted to price it as a "textbook", which it wasn't. With that experience, every larger book I picked up, I wondered if I took it to the cash if I'd be charged the 8.00.
The barcode skimmer was back, I almost tripped over a box she'd left in the middle of the aisle, more antisocial behaviour. I didn't realize until afterwards that she had a barcode reader, I would have said something rude about her carelessness. There were other people with iphones and the like, I wasn't sure if they were checking prices or were unable to look over the books without talking to their friends (or listening to music). If you don't know the value of a book from experience, you have no place pretending to be a "bookseller".
They again had some boxes of books for free outside the enclosure. Some Chinese or maybe Japanese language books and CDs. Some romance (I think they banished all of those to the free section, not many of them though. I couldn't really tell why they were out there, nothing really bad, just the normal sort of average book. Oddly, I did find a book for boys on the level of the Hardy Boy or Tom Swift series, one I'd never heard of. Apparently written and published in Canada. Something I'm going to "collect" so I don't know why they bothered putting it out for free.
I'll probably go back on Tuesday to see what churns up, once the crowd has thinned out and the books thinned out a bit. I'm not that hopeful with a 2.00 price on each book, but you never know.
The Atwater Library is allegedly having a used book sale on Friday October 14th (18:00 to 20:00) and Saturday October 15th (10:00 to 16:00) at the actual library, 1200 Atwater, just half a block down from St. Catherine Street. They apparently were looking for book domations some months back, suggesting the big stash of books in the library has been depleted. I say "allegedly" since they can't be bothered putting up a notice on their website. Expecting them to have a sale, I checked a few times, and nothing. Then it's listed in the Gazette on September 29th, I check the website again, nothing. A search shows it may be on their facebook page, (who knew they had a facebook page? They certainly don't have a notice on the website telling people they are no longer using the webpage) but google's cache is too old, and I won't go to facebook directly (issues of my browser aside). They've had a website for fifteen years, at least, yet they routinely underuse it. They have no right selling courses on "how to blog" for $150 or whatever it was when they are lousy teachers by how they don't use their webpage. Information should not be stuck behind a wall, and facebook is behind a wall. The fact that people have mindlessly followed along doesn't change things. Too many groups have been awful at the internet, and then later they think facebook is their salvation. Well, if you actually had been using your webpage for information, getting it out early and in detail, then facebook wouldn't have been the lure when it came along. I know, I was around back then, I know how many small groups ignored the internet. And then they mindlessly jumped on facebook.
Wait. On Tuesday October 4th, I see there is a notice up at the Atwater Library page, here. Now, I'm less certain that it wasn't there last week, but I thought I checked that area. But there again is a stupid arrangement. Issue a notice as a blog or whatever, and then it sits around to be found with search engines, when dated material isn't needed. But put the book sale on a special page, keep the URL constant forever, and then "wait, shouldn't the Atwater Library be having a book sale soon?" and then it's so simple to check the URL from the last time. They are consistently bad, one year issuing the upcoming events as a PDF (yes it's useful if a large segment of their members don't use computers, but it's not obvious that one should check a pdf for upcoming events, not when other events are listed or nothing says "all the events are on this pdf". Another year, they stashed it somewhere odd like on the page about the book sale room, they have multiple places it might appear, they are not consistent. Hey, it's a library, the one great thing about libraries is that there is a consistent cataloging from library to library, and maybe the Atwater Library should be consistent about the webpage.
It gets worse, since the notice talks about art books and collectors books, and other, mostly hardcover. That's what I felt last year, a tiny event of no interest. I have zero interest in hardcover books, the times I've bought as hardcover have been mostly reference or technical books, and not much choice there. I don't know if they are deliberately doing this, offer up what they think might bring in the money, or just that donations are so down that they don't have much to offer. I can remember when they had one (or was it two?) book sales a year, set up tables in Alexis Nihon Plaza. A big event, lots to find. Then they moved back to the library after a few years, but they only had two sales a year, chock full of books, that were interesting too. They've watered it down, the spring and fall sales are either or minimal, unlike when they'd run it for three days, and a lot less interesting books. But then they spring other sales, initially I'd rush over, but I'm finding the appeal less and less. Go back to having two big sales each year, pack those books in, get the crowds, and bring in the money. It's way too watered down now, I never know if there's any real value to going, and I'm sure going sporadically in recent years. That says a lot, since if people aren't coming in, they won't be buying things.
The Friends of the Beaconsfield Library are having their annual used book sale on Saturday October 15th (10:00 to 17:00) and Sunday October 16th (11:00 to 16:00), at the Herb Linder Annex, 303 Beaconsfield Blvd. They were looking for donations, I think through October 3rd. Finally I find a notice, one page that has the call for donations and the date of the book sale, it's here among other events in Beaconsfield, but surely that's a fairly authorative source. Another listing says they are looking for volunteers to help out. I've never been, but maybe this year I'll get out there.
The St. James Anglican Church in Rosemere is having their spring book sale on Saturday October 15th 10:00 to 14:00 at 328 Pine Street in Rosemere. They had one last fall and said it was their first, and then another in the spring. They were looking for donations of books and music and movies last fall but I don't see anything on their webpage about donations this time. I assume they still want them, I just don't know the process.
St. Stephen's Anglican Church will be having a used book sale on Saturday October 22nd from 10:00 to 16:00 at 2000 Bourgogne St. in Chambly. That's all I know, but they have had book sales there before.
The Deux Montagnes Lions Club is having their annual used book sale on Saturday October 22nd and Sunday October 23rd, both days 9:00 to 16:00, at the Veterans Hall on 141 Grand Moulin. They are looking for donations, their webpage gives details of how to donate. I've never been, though they have had it for a number of years, and likely I won't get to it, I think it's out of range for me. It is on my birthday. This one has shifted around over the years, but this year it is in the exact same spot as last year.
And I put this up horribly late, lost to my wanting to say something about last year's McGill Book Fair which was hard, to be critical of something that I've gone to for 35 years, so I just stalled. But if this is really the end of the McGill Book Fair, I'm sure some of the further away book sales may be more tempting. The books have to go somewhere, that many books can't just disappear with the book fair.
The Wyman Memorial Church is having their semi-annual used book sale on Friday October 28 (17:00 to 21:00) and Saturday October 29 (9:30 to 14:00) at 513 Main Road in Hudson. That's all I know. Wait, I did write down about 2 months ago that this is the church that Jack Layton attended. I bought my one and only turntable at Layton Audio back in December of 1978, it's still working fine.
The Knox Crescent Kensington and First Presbyterian Church in NDG has their annual used book sale on Friday November 18th (from 19:00 to 21:00) and Saturday November 19th (from 10:00 to 14:00) at 6225 Godfrey in NDG (about a block up from Sherbrooke Street on Grand Avenue). They sort of have a website, at kckf.wordpress.com. I suppose they want donations but I've never seen what the process is.
It's quieter and maybe smaller, but I have been watching for the date of this one. It's nice to have a sale one can go to after supper. It doesn't seem as intense, but for a few years it seemed like I was getting to a bunch of book sales in October, and I found it wore me down. Towards the end of the month, it was getting a bit much. This one spreads things out a bit, a chance to recover and then dive in, almost a last sale before winter sets in. They seem to keep leftover books from year to year. I keep finding things, so I keep going back. The prices tend to be cheaper than some of the sales, they aren't going for gourmet books. I can't remember the pricing from last year, I thought I wrote it down somewhere but I don't know where. A few times they've offered a bag to fill for five dollars, I don't know how consistent that is. One year as I left they handed me a flyer, so the bag was on the Saturday. But another time they were offering it on the Friday. They did offer a bag for five dollars last year, I accumulated no more than five dollars worth of books and they offered the bag, and I said "I looked things over carefully, I've run out of things to buy". There were some books there which I might have needed, to replace damaged ones, but I wasn't sure which.
The Friends of the Westmount Library are having their fall used book sale on Saturday November 26 and Sunday November 27, 10:00 to 18:00 both days, at the VIctoria Hall, which is 4626 Sherbrooke Street West (right next to the actual Westmount Library).
They will take donations of books (I thought they took CDs and movies in the past, but I see no notice of that now) which can be dropped off at the front desk of the library. No deadline specified.
Yes it's really early, but Centre Greene in Westmount already has a date up for their 2012 used book sale, Friday March 30th and Saturday March 31st. A week earlier than I'd expect, presumably because Easter comes early this year. In the past they've said they'd take donations of books year around, so that's one place to drop books off if you want to get rid of some. I think I'd double check with them before making the trip, though.
Used Book Sales Elsewhere
I've never been to a used book sale outside of the Montreal area, but they do have them elsewhere. Since I know nothing of them, there's little sense in trying to list them, but I have found some pages that keep track of them. Of course, I'm not researching this carefully, so there may be more comprehensive lists.
One list (not that I've looked that closely) for used book sales in Ottawa is www.wollamshram.ca/obc/Events.htm. Also, Bytown Bookshop has a blog on their webpage, and they list at least some Ottawa used book sales. And then later I find Nigel Beale's page about used book sales in Ottawa (well, it's a subpage within a larger site about books). here.
Each fall, there are a number of book sales at the University of Toronto. Victoria College has one September 22-26, 2011, details here. University College has their's on October 14-18, 2011, details here, Then Trinity College has their book sale October 20-24, 2011, details here Finally St. Michael's College used book sale is October 25-29, 2011, details here (scroll down) Some not quite current articles about these sales are here, and here. I've never been to any of these, but they do sound like significant book sales, though I haven't a clue if one was going to take in only one, which one would be the most significant.
Nigel Beale has a list of The Five Best Used Book Sales in Canada? (the McGill Book Faire is on it), and mentions the Rockliffe Park Public School Book Fair that is in Ottawa every November. On one hand, it seems odd that a school would have such a great sale, but they've been doing it for 48 years, which really helps. Since people know when it's coming, and they start collecting books early in the year, they likely can get a large number of donations.
I frequently see notices for book sales in Vermont, but I've yet to find a decent list. Indeed, I thought I had but I'm not seeing any updates so I'll pass on that.
I've yet to find a list of all the used book sales in Toronto, but I haven't tried that hard since it's not really within the area of a day trip, unlike Ottawa or Vermont.