This was my first time every hearing of, let alone visiting, the annual Metropolitan Library book sale. I decided to try to hit up the pre-sale tonight, to get better books and try to avoid the crowds. Before I go into the sale itself, let me tell you of a magical moment I had while waiting in line.
To get into the pre-sale, you have to be a member of the Friends of the Metro Library. I didn't find out about the sale until yesterday, and online registration was closed by then. So I would have to register at the door and pay a $10 membership fee. Which I was okay with if it meant I wouldn't have to face the Saturday Free Admission swarms. I arrived 20 minutes before the doors opened, and I ended up 100 yards from the doors in a long line (that only got worse with time. Think iPhone release meets Avengers midnight release). As the ticket takers are coming down the line, taking tickets and passing out stickers to mark those allowed in, they came to me and I just shrugged. "I don't have a ticket yet." After about the 3rd ticket person came by, the people behind me whom I have never met in my life, handed the taker 2 tickets and said "Her and her son are part of our family now."
Turns out they owned an online book store, were from New Mexico, and gave me their extra tickets because I was in my Air Force hoodie. I mentioned my husband was active duty and deployed, next thing I know, they got me in for free. What nice people!
Anyway, the sale: MASS CHAOS! Resellers are welcome. Paperbacks are .50, hardcovers 1.00. Think of the crowds that will attract. I had a good time, but I was paranoid someone was going to snatch up my son and vanish into the hordes. You could tell the people that sell books: pulling carts with boxes of books around, throwing large handfuls of books into them without really looking at them.
I got out only spending $18.25. That's a very good deal, and a pat on the back to me for behaving. lol
There are also 2 children's book for Jake, but he had already run off with them when I took this picture.
All in all, it was a HUGE book sale. 600,000 books for sale. Thousands of people. I had a blast. And I don't think I WILL EVER GO BACK.
Why?
I AM SOCIAL ANXIETY CAT.
But my love of books managed to override my fear of people. Plus, I never do anything new or different. So I forced myself to get out and try to enjoy a good shopping spree.