With fall a month away, it’s time to start thinking about stocking up on books, DVDs, audiobooks and more for those days when cooler weather will keep you inside — reading for yourself or reading with your kids.
Fortunately, over the next couple of months, local libraries and historical societies have several used-book sales scheduled around the area.
LancasterHistory is even holding a rare sale of books culled from its library.
Here’s where you can stock up on books, DVDs, records, games and more in September and October and support nonprofit libraries and history groups while you’re buying. Admission is free to these sales, unless otherwise noted.
(And, if you want to accessorize while you’re curled up with a good book, there are a couple of jewelry sales that will raise funds for local libraries, as well.)
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Library salesFRIENDS OF THE ELIZABETHTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY
• When: 2-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2 (preview day); 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 3-4; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
• Where: Lower level of the Elizabethtown Public Library, 10 S. Market St., Elizabethtown.
• Details: The Friends of the Elizabethtown Public Library volunteer group is raising money for the library by selling more than 10,000 used books for adults and kids, along with CDs and DVDs. Customers are encouraged to bring their own bags, except on bag-sale days. “Fill-a-bag” days are Sept. 5 (pay $12 for a bag of items) and Sept. 6 ($6 a bag). Proceeds benefit the library. Cash, checks and all major credit cards are accepted.
• Admission: All days are free, except for preview day on Sept. 2, with an entry fee of of $10 for a first chance at the books.
• Information: etownpubliclibrary.org.
FRIENDS OF THE LITITZ LIBRARY BOOK SALE
• When: 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13.
• Where: Community room of the Lititz Library, 651 Kissel Hill Road, Lititz.
• Details: Thousands of books will be available for purchase for $3 or less. Beginning Sept. 13 at noon, you can buy a bag of books for $4. All proceeds benefit the library.
• Information: lititzlibrary.org or the Friends of the Lititz Public Library Facebook page.
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LANCASTER PUBLIC LIBRARY FALL RESORT BOOK SALE
• When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Sept. 12-13; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14.
• Where: The Friends of Lancaster Public Library volunteer group’s Book ReSort, 225 N. Marshall St., Lancaster.
• Details: Thousands of books, DVDs, audiobooks, vinyl records and more will be for sale, with more than half the items priced between 50 cents and $2. Parking is free; the Marshall Street Bookstore will be open during the sale. All proceeds benefit the library. Cash, checks and all major credit cards are accepted. The sale cannot accept bills larger than $20.
• Information: lancasterpubliclibrary.org/friends-book-sales-events.
LANCASTER PUBLIC LIBRARY, MOUNTVILLE BRANCH FALL BOOK SALE
• When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20.
• Where: Mountville Church of the Brethren, 60 Clay St., Mountville.
• Details: Thousands of books, CDs, DVDs and board games will be for sale. Parking is free, and cash, checks and all major credit cards are accepted. Discounts start at noon on Sept. 20. All proceeds benefit the Mountville branch of the library.
• Information: lancasterpubliclibrary.org/friends-book-sales-events.
EPHRATA PUBLIC LIBRARY FALL BOOK SALE
• When: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, Oct. 15-16; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.
• Where: The multipurpose room at the Ephrata Public Library, 550 S. Reading Road, Ephrata.
• Details: Hundreds of books, CDs, DVDs, audio books and board games will be for sale. All proceeds benefit the library. Cash and credit cards are accepted.
• Information: ephratapubliclibrary.org.
ADAMSTOWN AREA LIBRARY
• When: From 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Tuesday except the second Tuesday of each month, when the sale ends at 5:30 p.m. for a library program.
• Where: The community room of the library at 110 W. Main St., Adamstown.
• Details: Every week, the Friends of the Adamstown Area Library volunteer group hold a book sale offering $2 hardbacks, $1 trade paperbacks and 50-cent paperbacks plus kids books, puzzles, DVDs and audio books.
• Information: adamstownarealibrary.org.
History groupsBOOKWORM FROLIC AT MENNONITE LIFE
• When: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday-Friday, Sept. 11-12, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13.
• Where: Outdoors in the big white tent behind the Mennonite Life building, 2215 Millstream Road, Lancaster.
• Details: The sale includes tens of thousands of used books across various genres. Hardcover books are $3, and paperbacks are $2. Locally made soft pretzels and lemonade will be available to buy. You can buy five books and get one free on Sept. 12, and on Sept. 13, all books are half price, or you can fill a box for $15. On Sept. 11, Mennonite Life members get an 8:15 a.m. head start on browsing the books.
• Information: mennonitelife.org, or call 717-393-9745.
LANCASTERHISTORY’S RESEARCH CENTER
• When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13.
• Where: Inside the Research Center at LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster.
• Details: A review of LancasterHistory’s library has resulted in what the organization is calling a “once-in-a-generation” sale of books that are duplicates, outdated editions or ones not related to Lancaster County history that are being culled from the collection. There will also be books in a variety of genres from the personal collections of staff members.
• Payment: Cash or card are accepted for all purchases; cards are preferred. All sales are final; no returns or exchanges.
• Info: lancasterhistory.org/events/book-sale.
In this November 2024 file photo, used jewelry and accessories are on display at the Friends of Lancaster Public Library’s annual Baubles & Bling Sale. Proceeds benefit the library. The sale returns Sept. 19-20, 2025.
MARY ELLEN WRIGHT | STAFF WRITER
A bit of bling
In addition to the book sales, the friends volunteer groups of two area libraries will hold their annual jewelry sales in September.
LANCASTER LIBRARY ‘BAUBLES & BLING’ SALE
• When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Sept. 19-20.
• Where: In the library at 151 N. Queen St., Lancaster, in Ewell Plaza.
• Details: A room filled with gently used jewelry such as necklaces, earrings, pins and watches, along with accessories such as purses and scarves, will be for sale. Proceeds benefit the library.
• Information: lancasterpubliclibrary.org/friends-book-sales-events.
LITITZ LIBRARY JEWELRY SALE
• When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27.
• Where: Lititz Public Library, 651 Kissel Hill Road, Lititz.
• There will be plenty of vintage and gently used jewelry for sale, from necklaces to rings to pins to earrings.
• Information: lititzlibrary.org or the Friends of the Lititz Public Library Facebook page.
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