SPRING SALE BLOOMING for BOOK LOVERS

Sit back and listen to Billie Holiday croon the blues in hits such as “Lover Man” and “Soli-tude” on the Complete Decca CD recordings (with notes and photos). Or peruse Elizabeth Taylor’s My Love Affair with Jewelry, written by the legendary actress with life-sized photos of her cherished jewelry collection. For contemporary best selling bargains, check out Janet Evanovich’s Smokin’ Seventeen from the Stephanie Plum series and Michael Crichton’s latest novel, co-authored with Richard Preston, Micro (2011), blending science and fiction as only Crichton can.

All these treasures and more await you at the Friends of the Citrus County Library System’s Spring Book Sale, March 9-13 at the Citrus County Auditorium, Hwy. 41 South, next to the Fairgrounds. Sale hours are Fri. 5-8 p.m. $5 donation (Fri night only); Sat. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.; Sun 1 p.m.- 4 p.m.; Mon. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. (half price day); and Tues. 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. ($3 a bag). Mark your calendars now for the book sale spring fling. Pictured here, FOCCLS volunteers sort thousands of mint condition books, CDs, DVDs, games and puzzles in preparation for the five day event. Each Friends’ sale features new inventory of quality items in over 40 different categories with most prices ranging from $1 to $3.

This is the twelfth year of the Friends’ semi-annual fundraisers. Since their first spring sale in 2001, the combined FOCCLS partners of Coastal, Central Ridge and Lakes regional libraries have raised a grand total of $620,000, over half a million dollars, for Citrus libraries. This spring sale will feature “blue light specials” and BOGOs each hour on Sunday as well as half-price day on Monday and $3 a bag day on Tuesday.

FOCCLS is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization. Proceeds benefit Citrus County libraries, providing for the purchase of books, periodicals, DVDs, CDs and media services library patrons request.

For booksale information, call 352-746-1334 or 352-527-8405 or visit http://www.foccls.org/

ANNIVERSARY FALL SALE A ROUSING SUCCESS

Thank you, Citrus County, for supporting our Fall Book Sale! This was a special sale for many reasons. We had a record number of beautiful books donated by our residents – we filled the Citrus County Auditorium to the brim. Because of the donations and the enthusiastic purchases of our patrons, the fall sale made a very impressive $40,889 for Citrus County Libraries.

In the ten years since the formation of Friends of the Citrus County Library System, the Friends partners of Central Ridge, Coastal, and Lakes Region libraries have raised more than $620,000 for the purchase of materials and other projects. With the budget constraints on all services and the even greater use of the libraries, these figures are particularly significant. This money has enabled the libraries to provide new books and other materials requested by patrons to add even more to our libraries’ service to the community.

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of FOCCLS founding, we had visits from many costumed authors and characters from literature visit during the weekend. In addition the Citrus Clowns were present to paint faces and hand out balloon animals to happy children. Pictured here are the Alcorn family enjoying their selection of children’s books.

The Friends’ Spring Book Sale will take place March 9-13,2012 at the Citrus County Auditorium. FOCCLS is now accepting donations of books, DVDs, CDs, games and puzzles for the spring sale. Materials may be dropped off at the checkout desks of Central Ridge, Coastal or Lakes Regional libraries.

Bountiful Harvest for Book Lovers

Thousands of quality books, over 75,000 of them, await you at the Friends of the Citrus County Library System Fall Book Sale. Mark your calendars now. The FOCCLS sale will take place Sept 16-20 at the Citrus County Auditorium, Hwy. 41 South, next to the Fairgrounds. Sale hours are Fri. 5-8 p.m. $5 donation (Fri night only); Sat. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.; Sun 1 p.m.- 4 p.m.; Mon. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. (half price day); and Tues. 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. ($3 a bag).

Friends from Central Ridge, Coastal and Lakes Regional libraries have already boxed and stored a record-breaking number of items in preparation for the big sale. Hardcover and paperback bargains abound, with over 40 different categories including best sellers, large print, crafts, cooking, children's, treasures and a special holiday section. Each Friends’ sale features new inventory of quality items with most prices ranging from $1 to $3. Sale patrons will also find popular DVDs, CDs, games, and piles of puzzles to select. Special treasures for this sale include “Vargas Girls,” two volumes of Esquire Pin-Up Girls of WW II; The Completely Mad Don Martin, a two volume set of best cartoons from Mad Magazine; Wild America: A Collection of Drawings and Paintings of North American Wildlife by James Lockhart; Official Military Atlas of the Civil War; a first edition of E.M. Forster’s classic Aspects of the Novel; Ludwig Bemelmans’ Mad About Madeline, The Complete Tales with introduction by Anna Quindlen; and current 2011 and 2010 best sellers from popular authors including Janet Evanovich, Dean Koontz, Maeve Binchy, Patricia Cornwell, and Jan Karon, all at one quarter of the market value.

This year the Friends celebrate the 10th anniversary of the organization’s founding. Since that first fall sale in 2001, the combined FOCCLS partners have raised a grand total of $580,088, over half a million dollars for Citrus County libraries. Come join us for the fall anniversary celebration with special festivities on Super Saturday, Sept 17th to delight children and adults, including clowns, animal balloons and face painting among the morning events. Famous authors and characters from literature including Mark Twain, Emily Dickinson and Harry Potter have been invited to the sale to visit with shoppers throughout the day. The fun continues on Special Sunday Sept 18th with live music, door prizes and more literary characters. Join the happy Friends pictured here for this landmark event and take home some bargains!

FOCCLS is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization. Proceeds from the semi-annual fundraisers benefit the Citrus County Library system, revenue much needed is these fiscally challenging times. The Friends are hoping for a record turn-out of patrons to raise funds in support of our libraries.

Donations of gently used books and related materials are still welcome and may be dropped off now at the checkout desks of Central Ridge, Coastal or Lakes Region libraries. For book sale information, call 746-1334 or 527-8405.