It's an annual tradition that dates back decades, and all book lovers are invited. The Friends of the Milanof-Schock Library will hold their book sale at Donegal High School, 1025 Koser Road, Mount Joy, beginning with a preview night on Thursday, June 9, from 4 to 8 p.m. The sale will continue on Friday, June 10, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, June 11, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The sale will return to the high school after being held elsewhere for the past two years due to pandemic restrictions, said Lora Jones, co-chair of the book sale committee. "We'll be set up in the common area inside the entrance of the school, and we'll also have food and special-priced books in the cafeteria," she stated. "We'll have tables set up in the cafeteria for people to sit and eat if they want to."

Volunteers work year-round to sort and pack books for the sale, taking care to categorize books into more than 30 genres. Categories will include fiction, nonfiction, children's books, cookbooks, biography, romance and science fiction. A selection of DVDs, CDs and audiobooks will also be featured. The special-priced books in the cafeteria will include some very new books along with some older books and are selected based on their condition as well.

Along with books for people of all ages, the sale will include homemade food donated by the Friends. "We'll have pulled pork and beef barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs, chips, beverages and lots of baked goods," said Joanne Myers, chair of the food committee.

The book sale is the Friends' biggest fundraiser of the year, and all proceeds will benefit programs and operating costs of the library. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted for the sale, and people are encouraged to bring their own bags. Admission to the event is free on Friday and Saturday, but Thursday's sale has an admission charge. "You get the first pick of everything if you come Thursday evening," Jones remarked, noting that the admission charge is another way to support the library. During Saturday's sale, shoppers may fill a bag for one price.

Diane Rice, who is co-chairing the sale with Jones, emphasized that the event always receives positive feedback from attendees. "People tell us we're very well organized and our pricing is very fair," she said. "People like the space, and they also like how we have everything sorted by category."

Jones thanked the staff at Donegal High School, including secretary of operations and safety Crystal Sload, with helping to bring the book sale back to the school. She encourages everyone to attend the sale, adding, "This is a wonderful event for the surrounding community. We get a lot of people who come year after year, and we have a lot of wonderful volunteers, many who help year after year. It's a nice chance to see friends and support the library."

For more information on the book sale, visit https://mslibrary.org or call 717-653-1510.