"Our goal is really just to get books into people's hands, from the little person up to adults," said Joyce Hershey, chair of the used book sale at Mount Joy Church of God. The sale will be held at the church, 30 E. Main St., Mount Joy, on Friday, June 2, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday, June 3, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

As Hershey explained, the book sale used to be held in conjunction with a rummage sale at the church, but this year the rummage sale isn't happening. "I still wanted to do a book sale because we have a lot of books," Hershey stated. She noted that she has been collecting books all year long either through donations from community members and church members or anywhere she can find free books in the community. "I keep the books in banana boxes, and right now I have 120 banana boxes full of items," Hershey shared. "I have 43 boxes of nonfiction alone and 49 boxes full of fiction."

She explained that the book sale will be set up with the books divided by categories, including biography, religion, science, educational, romance, fiction, nonfiction and children's books. "I'd say I have a little bit of everything," she remarked. Beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, shoppers will be able to fill a bag of books for one price, and Hershey noted that all of the items on both days of the sale are priced to sell. Along with books, the sale will feature DVDs and puzzles.

Subs will be available for purchase as well. "We are going to have three kinds - American, turkey and Italian," Hershey commented. "People do not need to preorder. They just buy them at the book sale." Baked goods will also be available for purchase.

Proceeds from the book sale will benefit the general operating fund at the church. "We have a lot of outreach activities in the community, so some of the money may be going to support some of those efforts," Hershey noted.

She said that this year, the book sale will be held in the chapel of the church, rather than downstairs in the church, where the rummage sale has been held in the past. The main doors to the chapel will be closed, but there will be signs noting the entrance off of Main Street in Mount Joy, Hershey said.

She encourages anyone who is interested to come to the sale. "I feel it's a very well-organized sale and it's easy to find what you're looking for," Hershey stated. "Many of our books are in really good shape, and they would even make good gifts."