Batches of books for bibliophiles at library sale

Shangri-La for booklovers isn't Amazon.com or even Powell's Books in Portland -- it's an airplane hanger jam-packed with hundreds of thousands of books, almost all $1 or less.

"They're buying like mad," book sale director Joan Amatucci said. "People just rushed in this morning."

Judging by the turnout at the Friends of the Seattle Public Library's book sale at the former Sand Point Naval Base this weekend, Shangri-La isn't such a well-kept secret anymore. Book-sale volunteers were anticipating thousands of buyers over the weekend -- hoping there will be enough to snatch up the 200,000 books for sale, not to mention movies, comic books, audio books and art prints.

Everything from Candide to Goodnight Moon blanketed tables Saturday morning, spines pointing upward for inspection, as curious buyers traipsed in with empty canvas bags and out again with their spoils.

"It's actually like Christmas to me," said Heather Miller of Lynnwood. She and her father have "almost a full library at home," but she still spent $20 at the sale.

Most hardback books are priced at $1 and most paperbacks cost 50 cents.

Friday night, almost 1,200 people showed up for a limited members-only sale. And when volunteers opened the doors at 9 a.m. Saturday, about 500 people were waiting to come inside.

Diane Ahroni of Magnolia showed up at 6:30 a.m. Saturday to hold her place in line.

"There were already about 20 or 30 people here," she said. "A lot of them were book dealers."

Amatucci estimated that about 65 percent of the titles available were donated to the library group, and it's likely the rest were library overflow.

"There's so much stuff here," she said. "Treasures get overlooked -- which is part of the fun of the hunt."

It took Mandy Askew of Capitol Hill 20 minutes to find what she wanted while her boyfriend played with their dog in the adjacent dog park.

"I was looking for books on dog training, and I actually found the ones I was looking for," she said, holding up the two books she'd bought.

Unlike Askew, most left with more than a few items.

"I was just saying, this would have been $300 at Barnes & Noble," Beacon Hill resident Eric Haberman said, gesturing to the 50 books he and a friend bought for roughly $30.

The sale is in its 36th year -- and in its 10th year in the former airplane hanger, Amatucci said. Friends of the Seattle Public Library usually hold book sales twice a year and donate all proceeds to the library system.

The group is planning a smaller Holiday Sale on Nov. 17, and another two-day sale on April 12 and 13.

This weekend's sale will continue Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Warren G. Magnuson Park at 74 Sand Point Way Northeast.