The Gazette's Tip Sheet/It's a Date listings. The sales, the "It's A Date" portion, is towards the bottom and you have to scroll down to see. Interesting, it continues to be a consistent URL from month to month. And I won't even bother changing this until I see the URL no longer valid. They are updating the webpage each week.
Yes, I've need to clear out the old soon, but there haven't been any known book sales so far this year.
The McGill Book Fair starts collecting books again at Redpath Hall at McGill on Tuesday Feb 9th from 8:30am to 4pm, and then every Tuesday afterwards from 9:30am to 3pm until September 21st. They have some satellite collection points listed on their webpage. The actual date for the sale isn't up yet, but it's always towards the end of October. And yes, they now officially no longer want encyclopedias or magazines. So where are people supposed to donate those now, and where are people supposed to get good deals on those now? Mcgill isn't alone, a lot of sales are now specifying no encyclopedias at least.
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.
Skip down to list of upcoming used book sales in Montreal
Skip down to Non-Montreal book sales
They haven't updated their webpage, but argobookshop.ca began a series of literary open mic nights starting on September 10th, and it's supposed to be every second and fourth Thursday of the month, though I've not yet seen anything further about it. The address is 1915 St. Catherine West, and they are supposed to start at 7:30pm (the current posters have that start time now). The original notice I saw is here, not mentioning it would be an ongoing series (but Argo's website does state that). I passed by the first night going somewhere and it's hard to tell. It looked like there was an overflow crowd, with people hugging the entrace but when I looked over their shoulders, the store had a "big" empty space in the middle. It's a really small space, so maybe they were trying to leave space for the performer, but if they get a big crowd, it will never fit.
The Bimetallic Question. ie the local Sherlock Holmes Club, has their next meeting Thursday, April 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
This is now sort of 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.
Atwater Library used book sale and BBQ August
26
Thomas More Institute used book sale August 29
Dorval Scouts used book sale August 29-30
DDO library used book sale Sept. 11-20
small used book sale at McGill Sept. 16
YMCA St. Laurent used book sale September 25-26
Benny Library used book sale September 26
Atwater Library used book sale October 1st to 3rd
St. Lambert United Church book sale Oct 3
Con-U used book fair October 5-6
** update **
Cedar Park United Church used book sale Oct
16-17
Beaconsfield Library used book sale Oct.
17-18
Deux Montagnes Lions club book sale October
17-18
Used book sale in Hudson October 23-24
St. Clements in Verdun used book sale Oct.
24
McGill Book Fair, October 28-29
** update **
South Shore book sale October 30-31
Con-U bookstore book sale November 4-5
Downtown used book sale Nov 4-6
** update **
Westmount Library used book sale Nov 7-8
Knox Crescent Church in NDG used book sale November
20-21
note the date of Nov 13-14 in The Gazette was wrong
Montreal West Children's Library used book sale November
20-21
Montreal West Presbyterian Church Book and Bake Sale
Nov. 21
Summerlea United Church in Lachine book sale Nov.
21
Bookfair at Concordia Tues-Wed-Thurs - $3 is all I know about
a sale at Con-U Nov 24-26, I don't even see notice of it until it's
already started.
Westmount High School traditionally has a used book sale in November
but by November 21st I've seen no notice of it and assume it's not
happening this year.
That pretty much wraps things up until at least January, maybe a few
minor sales (lots of the fall fairs in the Gazette listing include books
to some extent), and the Atwater Library sometimes has a sale in early
December.
Centre Greene used book sale April 9-10, 2010
The Atwater Library is having a book sale and BBQ on Wednesday August 26th from 10am to 3pm, outside the library at 1200 Atwater (as always, just half a block down from St. Catherine Street). What details there are can be viewed on the library's website here.
This isn't the first time they've had a BBQ, and for a while they were having short sales outside the library every so often in the summer, keeping it small so it could be done easily (I even found a Harlequin Science Fiction book there, apparently the firm tried to broaden its market for a while). Who knows what this will be like. Two years ago, I skipped it, since it sounded more like a barbecue, but then the Westmount Examiner had a photo and it suggested a larger book sale, and even hinted that books were being sold by the bag, $5.00 per bag (it's not clear whether that was all day, or just at closing time to save having to move the books back inside). So I thought maybe I'd missed the Big Fall Sale, only to see another one later. I doubt they'll have vegetarian hot dogs. On the other hand, it is a slow time for book sales, though it starts picking up with this one.
It's the beginning of August and there's already news of the first used book sale of the fall. The Thomas More Institute is having their annual used book sale on Saturday August 29th in conjunction with their open house. They are located at 3405 Atwater, which isn't very far up from Sherbrooke Street. No times given yet, but last year it was 10am to 4pm. They combine it with an open house, a chance for people to drop in and see what the place is about.
This is actually earlier than I'd expect, it is usually in early September. Two years ago, I said it was mostly academic type books, not text books but popular books about history and theatre and classic novels and such, not so much in the way of popular fiction. Last year, I found a fair amount of popular fiction, so maybe it's as random as any book sale. Last year I got there about 3pm, and it was confined to a relatively small space rather than spread over multiple rooms like the year before; I'm assuming it wasn't that book donations were down but that I got there so late they'd consolidated the remaining books into a smaller space. They carefully mark each book with a price, it's generally 50cents for most pocket size paperbacks and a dollar for trade paperbacks and hardcover. There was some variation, but since each book got a price tag on the front cover, it was easy to know what you'd be paying for the book. Every time I've been I've come home with a decent stack.
The Dorval Scouts are having a used book sale on Saturday August 29 and Sunday August 30th from noon to 5pm both days, at the Sarto Desnoyers Community Centre, which is at 1335 Lakeshore Drive. The money raised goes to fund scouting activities. I can't find an actual webpage to link to. One might assume they are looking for donations, but the announcement I saw didn't mention anything about donations. A phone number was given for information, 514-633-4170 though I really hate to paste in such information when it's coming from a third party source.
I don't think I've ever listed this here, but I don't know if that means I've missed it or it's a new thing. I think the latter, but who knows. One could actually take in the Thomas More Institute sale, then rush out to Dorval to take in this one, a book sale that does't start first thing in the morning.
The Dollard des Ormeaux Library is having their annual (or maybe semmi-annual? I thought maybe they had two a year) used book sale from Friday September 11 to Sunday Setp. 20th, at the library at 12001 de Salaberry. According to listing, it starts at 10am on the Friday, but nothing about the rest of the days, or the ending hours, so I'm back to assuming like I have previous years that it keeps the same hours as the library itself, but who knows, there is a terrible web of some of these municipal sites that makes finding information a horrible experience. Even the URL I had last year for the library has changed. I suppose they want book donations, but they sure don't make it easy. This isn't the first year they've had the sale, though I don't know how old it is. I've never been despite the length allowing lots of time.
According to this notice the Department of English Student Association is having a used book sale on Wednesday September 16th from 8:30am to 5:30pm in the lobby of the Leacock Building. That's 855 Sherbrooke Street West, but the street number really means nothing at McGill. I'm not actually sure which building it is. It's a fundraiser for the group, but they'll donate half of the proceeds to a children's charity. Note: they are looking for book donations.
I've never heard of the group, so it's safe to say that they've never had a book sale before. That happens, every so often a group decides to have a used book sale, and it's a one shot deal. One year a group of library students had a sale, and have never been heard from since. I can't imagine it will be a major sale, too small a group, too short notice, but anyone passing by might find it worth a look. I have no idea what else might be happening at McGill that day to make the trip more tempting.
Via CFCF TV (whatever happened to local tv, from a station that actually used its local callsign?), the St. Laurent YMCA is having a used book sale on Friday September 25th from 9am to 7pm and Saturday September 26th from 9am to 3pm, at 1745 Decarie in St. Laurent. I've never noticed this one before, so either this is a first or they are doing better publicity. That's all I know about it, I can't even find a webpage specifically for that YMCA. Book sales usually want donations of books, but who knows about this one.
I've not seen anything official, but on August 22nd I went to Benny Library in NDG to see if there was any notice of a book sale (it's often in early September), and they had a poster up looking for volunteers for September 26th to help with the sale. It takes place on the lawn of the library at 3465 Benny Avenue in NDG (half a block up from Sherbrooke Street). Later via the Gazette, the date is definite, and the sale runs from 10am to 3pm, rain date Sunday September 27. I assume they are looking for book donations, but no details. A week before the sale, I see a notice somewhere and they do want book donations, apparently one can just drop them off at the library when it's open, or on the actual day of the sale. That notice also says the sale starts at 9:30, so who knows which time is correct.
This can be fun since it's outside, plenty of room and a chance to take in a late September day. They get a fair collection of books, both French and English, my impression has been more of the former but who knows. The last time I went (two or three years back, they often seem to have dates that conflict with other things I'm interested in), I recall a fair number of library discards, which I don't find appealing (maybe if it was something hard to find, but that usually isn't the case). The prices are reasonable. As a bonus this year, one can take in the book sale and then buy some fresh produce. Through October 10th, there will be a "market" at the corner of of Benny and Monkland every Saturday, from 9am to 1pm. There's a posting at the The Monitor, A Market Close to Home with details.
There was an article in The Monitor about the June sale, Benny Library book sale a success where they jump on the facebook bandwagon, proudly announcing they had a page for the first time. Huh? These sales have been going on for a long time, I first posted a notice about a Benny Library sale in September of 1997, twelve years ago. But their publicity has often been horrible, often not getting out into the listings of upcoming sales in The Gazette or free listings in The Suburban or even The Mirror. I never bump into posters unless I go to the actual library. There hasn't been a time from their first sale that they couldn't have had a simple webpage, or post somewhere to the internet. They couldn't imagine doing it, or perceived it as too complicated, so they didn't. And now they think facebook will change things? I refuse to link to facebook, I will not even look at facebook, because it rejects my browser, because facebook pages don't show up with websearches, because the impotent groups who are unable to get the word out about their events are suddenly rushing to facebook as if it's a cure. They've bought into a construct without having a grasp of what's needed. The "need" for facebook in this regard is a direct reflection of groups who thought making webpages was "too complicated". The fact that the last sale was better advertised is likely a far bigger reason for better attendance than a facebook page.
Later: I went, getting there at about 11:20. They had a lot more picnic tables than the last time I went, but they sure didn't have a lot of books. Unless they were swamped with sales in the first 90 minutes, they must not have gotten many donations. All the tables were covered with books, but except for one table, the books were all facing up, and not in stacks, so no more than thirty books (if that) per table. I didn't buy anything, I didn't see anything that tempted me, though it wsa really easy to see what was there. There was a fair crowd there when I was there.
The Atwater Library is having their fall used book sale on Thursday Oct 1st (6pm to 8pm), Friday Oct 2 from 10am to 6pm and Saturday Oct 3 from 10am to 2pm. The library remains where it's always been, 1200 Atwater (less than half a block down from St. Catherine Street).
The St. Lambert United Church is having their annual used book sale on Saturday Oct. 3 from 9am to 2pm, the location being 415 Mercille (apparently at the corner of Desaulniers) in St. Lambert and that's all I know. I did find a webpage for them this time, but I'm getting rejection messages that seem to derive from the server software, so I didn't check until I saw a notice in a listing of upcoming events. This is definitely not the first time they've had a book sale.
The Concordia Used Book Fair, the 13th, will be on Monday October 5th and Tuesday Oct. 6th from 10am to 7pm in the Atrium of the library building (ie across from the Hall Building) at 1400 De Maisonneuve Blvd. They get a notice up on September 10th (I had looked earlier), readable here. No word on donations, but surely they will take them. There's a notice here where they are looking for people to help, setting up and striking or working during the sale, but who knows if they want only people connected to Con-U or they'd welcome the general public. Note: According to this they made over $10,000 from the two day sale, which does seem pretty good.
This is an old price list, but it held more or less for the last Con-U book sale:
small paperback 1.00
Biographies paper/hardback 1.00
hardcover fiction 1.00
hardcover books 2.00
large paperback 2.00
hard cover (new-like) 3.00
soft cover text 2.00
hardcover text 4.00
art or oversized 10.00 plus
Later: I was there a few minutes after the opening. Lots of books, unlike some of the smaller book sales this year; the tables full, and boxes of books underneath. A stack of full boxes even seemed to arrive while I was there. The book dealers were there, but as I noticed previous years, the crowd seemed to be mostly students, which is likely a reflection of how little they promote it outside of Concordia. A fairly large collection of science fiction/fantasy (though this year mostly recent books, not classics). Lots of childrens books, but not much for the younger. A few VHS movies and books on tape hidden at the end of one aisle. About as many computer books as they usually have, but nothing that I found interesting (which means nothing exotic). A section of mystery, and lots of paperback fiction. I came home with only 2 books that I'd never knew existed before. I only spent 12.00 which is indicative of how little tempted me. Yes, I'm sure some of it is that I've been going to used book sales since 1976 and go to a lot more nowadays (either because more groups have them or because I'm paying closer attention) so there are fewer and fewer common books that I've not had a chance to buy before, but I'm getting the feeling less variety is getting donated, either because people are selling the unique books themselves or because the exotic books have disappeared years ago. By the time I left, 11:15 or maybe 11:30, there was a clear drop in the size of the crowd, it being much easier to move around. I suspect that changes at lunch time or between classes.
The Cedar Park United Church in Pointe Claire is having their fall book sale on Friday October 16th (7pm to 9pm) and Saturday October 17th (9am to 1pm), at 204 Lakeview Avenue. They have a notice up on their webpage finally on the first Saturday of October. They want donations of books and CDs and movies, but apparently not encyclopedias.
I went a few times to this one years ago, finding something I wanted very much the first time which was incentive to go to subsequent sales, but it's now been a long time since then. It used to start earlier on the Friday, which made it convenient for me. Since they've added a "white elephant" table in recent years, I can't help but think they aren't getting as many books as at one time.
The Friends of the Beaconsfield Library are having their annual or semiannual (I lose track of the West Island sales, at least some are twice a year) used book sale on Saturday October 17th from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday October 18th from 11am to 4pm in the Lawn Bowling Annex, which is at 303 Beaconsfield Blvd. This is according to this announcement. Apparently it is their eighth edition, and I imagine they are looking for books but don't see any word on that. I've never been, not particularly convenient by bus.
The Deux Montagnes Lions Club is having their annual used book sale on Saturday October 17 and Sunday October 18th, both days 9am to 4pm, at the Veterans Hall on 141 Grand Moulin. Their website has an announcement for the sale. They are looking for donations, but no National Geographics or encyclopedias, their webpage gives details of how to donate. The sale bounces around the calendar, last year it was in early September, so it's not always easy to keep track.
The Wyman Memorial Church in Hudson is having their annual (or is it semi-annual?) used book sale on Friday October 23 from 7 to 9pm and Saturday October 24 from 9:30am to 3pm. The location is 513 Main Road in Hudson. That's all I know, I'll likely never get there, and the website says 7:30pm start for the Friday. I see nothing about whether they want book donations.
Via The Gazette, St. Clement's Church is having another used book sale on Saturday October 24th from 10am to 2pm at 4322 Wellington in Verdun. They seem to have these fairly frequently, I've yet to get to one so I know nothing more.
The McGill Book Fair will be Wednesday October 28 and Thursday October 29, both days from 9am to 9pm in Redpath Hall at McGill. This seems the latest its ever been, and they've been having it every year since 1971. They seem to have found a permanent page, www.mcgill.ca/bookfair This is one to get in line for ahead of time, though the last two years i've gotten there about 8:50 and the line was not off the terrace. Sunrise is 7:27.30am on October 29th.
For the third year running, the line was not off the terrace by 8:45am. I think we're seeing a change. I noted last year that there were no National Geographics and no encyclopedias, and this year there were no magazines at all. And the prices seemed higher. Yes, they have always priced some items higher, a value placed on a specific book, but I didn't see a single book selling for a quarter, and only one for fifty cents. Given the pronouncement that they are presorting, and they are too are going to the "lightly used" wording, I fear this is a bad change. Yes, they can get rid of what they deem as clutter, and then place a premium price on what remains since it's then presorted. But then they may lose the exotic items that require a certain person to come along that wants it. The exotic things are the lure as far as I'm concerned, I find something really out of the ordinary one year and fantasize for the next few fairs of finding something of that level. My feeling isn't so much that prices have gone up, but unlike previously the prices don't seem to match anything. That Linux book from five years ago doesn't deserve a $5 price, presumably because it's a big book, because it is indeed well-dated. I might have bought one of them in a previous year, but the realization that it now carries a higher price is not tempting. I spent less than I have in decades, and came away with what was probably my smallest haul ever. Even in the early days thirty years ago, I'd come away with loads of books at 25cents each. I generally have been reliable at spending $30 to $40 each year for at least twenty years, some variation, going early on the first day, then usually going back a second time to see what got churned up. There were lots of books this year, in some ways differently proportioned (still lots of "leisure", but I couldn't find the biography section, lots of children's books, but not much older pocket size fiction), but there wasn't much that tempted me. Even if the prices had been lower, there wasn't that much to get excited about for me.
There were maybe more music CDs (downstairs) than I've seen before, though the lesser number of music cassettes carried the same 2.00 price. Still lots of records, I wonder if they remain from year to year or if there is a new influx each year? Few VHS or DVD movies, which maybe was deliberate. The past few years, they've had quite a good stock of VHS movies, and I've ended up buying quite a few, but I saw only a sprinkling, this time among the books. And no DVDs, which isn't quite a surprise since they are still new and few likely want to get rid of them, but there have been some in recent years. I'm thinking that was a deliberate decision, keep the "clutter" out. I miss the magazines, too many gourmet magazines but sometimes exotic and certainly cheap magazines when it's hard to justify buying new for the small content; last year I bought up all the Popular Science they had. There was a new section, someone having offered up their books about books, though I already had that Bantam book about Bantam Books. Still lots of children's books, but little Dr. Seuss and they are clearly no longer giving thought to six year olds coming in to spend their pennies, since the prices for even unrecognizable titles seemed to be 2.00 each. A stock of comic books, some old Classics lllustrated included, but again treated like a premium offering (though it was right to put a $5 price on those Classic Illustrated); I might pay fifty cents for an Archie comic to fulfill may annual need to read such a thing, but not a dollar. Any sale is likely to have leftovers, but as they raise prices, will they end up with more leftovers, since people like me won't buy a second copy of a book "just in case" or because I want to read it now and it's easier than looking for my existing copy?
And to make things really bad, I saw four people with barcode readers, rifling through the books to see whether they are worth anything. When I got to the computer section, right at opening, someone was doing that, I didn't even realize at first. She looked like she was arranging the books and was a volunteer. I think it was the same woman who had the scanner a few years ago, the first time I'd ever seen anyone doing that. Yes, I made a point of telling her I didn't like it, if you have no idea what the books are worth, then you shouldn't be allowed to buy them. Then I saw three more, all young and nobody I recognize from the local used book stores. It's no wonder the Book Fair feels a need to raise prices, when people with no skill can come in and harvest the books, the fair might as well see more of the profit. I'm sure my whole experience today is colored by seeing that behaviour. At least the Fair seems to recognize this to some extent, since there were notices up that I'd never seen before:
"For those buying in quantity, please pay for one box at a time. No hoarding"
The week before the sale, The McGill Reporter has a piece about the sale, focusing mostly on the volunteers; it's readable here. Then on Monday October 26th, there is a bit on page A22 of the Gazette, another piece about the book fair volunteers, Dedicated to books, and students, all year long.
At some point, I stumbled on a site of photos of the Book Fair, and set it aside, at the time it struck me as maybe some orphan site somewhere. But in checking it again, I see photos from last year's sale, so the site is being kept up. It only goes back to 2003, which is relatively short in the life of the event, but one can view it here, www.angelfire.com/folk/bookfair. Amusingly, in the second photo from 2008, I'm in the picture, though just barely. I got there late, 8:48am, but for some reason the line was pretty short. I seem to recall taking a picture or two last year, if I could find the photos I might turn up the photographer. Later in the sequence from last year, there's even a clean shot of a book I did buy. I wonder who has the longest attendance record? I've been to every McGill Book Fair starting in 1976, having only missed 1971-75.
St. Barnabas Church in St. Lambert will have their annual or semi-annual used book sale on Friday October 30 from 9am to 6pm and Saturday October 31st from 9am to 2pm at 95 Lorne Ave (the South Shore University Women's Club had their August book sale there this year). That's all I know, I can't find a website for the church. Though, it was a nice walk from the Longueil Metro, once you get away from the station, and maybe I will go over this time.
The Concordia Bookstore is having their annual book sale on Wednesday Nov 4 from 10am to 6pm and Thursday Nov 5th from 9am to 4pm, in the atrium of the library building (ie across de Maisoneuve from the Hall Building). This is not a used book sale, but new books at clearance prices.
I made a point of going last year, I wasn't that impressed. Prices seemed relatively high, and maybe more important there was nothing that grabbed me at the prices. But as always, it does depend on what they have in stock to clear out. I'm still not sure if these are leftovers from the bookstore, or if they import clearance books specifically for the sale.
There's going to be a used book sale at the St-John the Evangelist church on Wednesday Nov. 4, Thursday Nov 5 (both days 2pm to 8pm) and Friday Nov 6th from 10am to noon, at 137 President Kennedy, at the corner of St. Urbain. They call it a "colossal book sale" with 10,000 books both English and French, with prices starting at 50cents. I don't know if this is an annual event or not, three years ago someone passed out flyers at the McGill Book Fair and that was all I heard about it, and this year the flyers were back. I never got to it 3 years ago, but maybe with it a week later I may this time. (Oddly, between the McGill Book Fair when I was given the flyer, and the actual sale, someone from the church was on CBC talking about an upcoming concert series there.)
I went, getting there about 5pm on Wednesday. I'm not sure "colossal" is the right word, but they did have a surprisingly large collection (maybe I was surprised because the word made me expect less, or maybe because church used book sales often are limited). It was a church hall with rows of tables and every inch of the tables filled. Most were French books, but there was still a sizeable number of English books. I didn't see any pocket size fiction, what limited fiction there was mostly hardcover and maybe trade size. It was a pretty esoteric collection. A large selection of art books, a large selection of Dover Publications (I don't know if Dover is still in business, but at one time they were well known for reprinting out of print and out of copyright material, making it available at a time when the alternative was to find a copy of the original book; wait they are still in business, Dover Publications), a lot of "natural science" and "geography" (some were travel books, but mostly they were something else). Not much mainstream, lots of books I was tempted by knowing that I might not see them again, balanced against a realization that I'd love to have them around but I'd not likely actually read them. At least as big a collection of CDs (at 2.00 each) as at the McGill Book Fair, recognizeable names even if there was nothing I wanted. A handful of DVDs, at 3.00 each, I did buy that copy of "Zardoz". It was a fairly quiet sale at 5pm, maybe it was busier earlier. What was there won't appeal to all, but I was glad to go.
The Friends of the Westmount Library have their fall used book sale on Saturday November 7th and Sunday November 8th from 10am to 5pm both days at the actual library, which is on Sherbrooke Street at the western end of Westmount Park. Apparently they have spread out a bit, the room they've been using is now too small, so they have subsections elsewhere in the library. They are looking for donations which can be dropped off at the library, they as always it sounds like they are selective and discriminatory, wanting books in "prime condition" and not riff-raff. I find the prices are higher than many sales, but I am very much put off by the tone of the sale, as if some beat up copy of Cup of Gold by Steinbeck wouldn't be of value but all the trendy new bestsellers and coffee table books are. There's also a very insular view of the sale, one article a couple of years ago quoted someone involved that it was the largest used book sale (how can you beat McGill?) and the fact that people line up before the sale starts is pretty standard for any used book sale, how long the line up is would be more significant.
And this information would have been up sooner if they hadn't decided to redo the website, so the old URL has nothing past last spring's sale. It may be simpler to manage some large website by giving node numbers or whatever, but it makes each page pretty generic, the title doesn't even indicate that it's about the Friend's group.
The Knox Crescent Kensington and First Presbyterian Church in NDG, they sort of have a website at kckf.wordpress.com, is having their annual used book sale on Friday November 20th from 7pm to 9pm and Saturday November 21st from 10am to 2pm at 6225 Godfrey which is a block or so up from Sherbrooke Street on Grand Avenue. Note: I'd previously listed this as Nov 13-14, from the Gazette's Fall Fair guide, but according to the Church's website, it's a week later, it finally has some detail up here. They claim The Gazette was wrong, but I can't help but wonder if they sent out the wrong date in the first place; this is why it's so important that groups get their information up on their own space, and fix it if necessary, so one can track back to the original source. I don't know when they put up the information for the sale, but I had been checking their website without finding anything.
They tend to have quite a few books, though they keep whatever's left for the next year since I've seen the same exotic books over more than one sale. Prices tend to be cheap, about fifty cents per paperback. It's nice to have a sale where you can be at the opening without having to be out early, and like other church sales this one seems as much a social event as a book sale, it certainly seems quieter than some of the big sales. A few years back, when I paid they gave me a slip of paper offering a bag of books for five dollars if I came back on the Saturday. Last year, they were actually offering a bag of books for five dollars on the Friday, I almost had to argue to pay the full 2.00 price for the CD that I found. So there might be some good offer, or maybe not.
Last year's price list was:
specials as marked
hardcover 1.00
paperback .50
children's .25
videos & CDs 2.00
VHS & cassettes .50
games, records, puzzles .50
magazines .10
The Montreal West Children's Library is having their annual used book sale on Friday November 20th from 10am to 5pm and Saturday November 21st from 1pm to 4pm at 314 Northview Avenue in Montreal West. I headed out there a few years back in a mild snowstorm and gave up, so I don't know whether this is a sale of general used books or they just go for used children's books.
The Montreal West Presbyterian Church is having a book and bake sale Saturday November 21st from 9am to 2pm at 160 Ballantyne Avenue North (right on the cusp of Montreal West). I hesitate over this one, sometimes the tone seems to be more of a Christmas fair, and having once gone out to a Book and Treasure sale this church and found no books, I don't think I'd make the trip specifically for it, though of course if one was going to the MTl West Children's Library Sale, it would be worth checking both.
The Summerlea United Church in Lachine is having a Bazaar & Book Sale on Saturday November 21st from from 9am to 2pm at 225 50th Avenue in Lachine. They've had book sales before, I don't know how much of this one is books and how much a sort of fall fair. I've never been.
Centre Greene in Westmount wins the prize for having the first announcement of a 2010 book sale, getting the date up in September. Though they do qualify the April 9th and 10th dates as "tentative" but that is about when they have it usually. They claim to take donations of books year around, so that's one place to drop books off if you want to get rid of some.
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.
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 was tempted to buy a cheap train ticket when Via had that sale, but I couldn't find an exact date while the ticket sale was on (the sale's page doesn't have the 2009 date up yet). Two months later, I find 48th Annual Rockcliffe Book Fair that gives the date as November 6th through 8th, and they are looking for book 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.
THere are a some apparently significant used book sales at the University of Toronto every fall. One can see the umbrella poster for the series as a pdf here. VIctoria College has their's from Sept. 24 to 28, 91 Charles Street West (apparently no webpage). October 16 to 20, University College has their's at 15 King's College Circle, the webpage is www.uc.utoronto.ca/booksale. Then Trinity College does their sale from October 23 to 27 at 6 Hoskin Avenue, www.trinity.utoronto.ca/booksale. And finally St. Micheal's College has a used book sale October 27 to 31 at 113 St. Joseph Street, full details at www.utoronto.ca/stmikes.
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.