If you’re looking for that vintage, one-of-a-kind first edition book, you may want to check out the Gigantic Book Sale at the Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Art Gallery.

The event, now in its 27th year, boasts more than 30,000 books — enough to satisfy the most avid reader.

“We have thousands of books. We collect them all year round,” said book committee chair Gail Salter. “We pull them out in April and have our huge sale, which is our biggest fundraiser for the museum and art gallery.”

Last year, the event earned about $13,000 to help cover hydro and electricty costs for the building for the year.

This spring, the team is hoping to increase that total to $15,000.

The books are sorted into 40 different categories.

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“Mystery and adventure are extremely popular. Our children’s books — we’re almost depleted. Parents go out with piles of children’s books because they’re 25 and 50 cents,” Salter said.

“People like our vintage and rare (books). Art goes very quickly.”

Even on a Wednesday morning, the museum was full of shoppers.

“I come at least two or three times this week,” said a returning customer. “Fill up a box each time and it gets me through the winter. It’s my winter supply.”

Another shopper was sporting a long wish list, compliments of a friend who is out of town.

“I got hooked in,” the shopper said. “A friend who’s away down east and he said ‘Can you find my books?’ There’s 30 of them.”

The book sale is a great way to reuse and recycle in the community.

“We have a big sign up that says ‘when you finish with the books, we would love to have them back.’ And people do bring them back,” Salter said.

Books that are left over are offered to local charities.

“At the end of the sale, because we can’t sell everything, we invite non-profit organizations to come in, help themselves to any books they want,” Salter said.

The Gigantic Book Sale continues until April 13 at 4 p.m. at the Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Art Gallery and most books are priced between 25 cents to $3.

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