When an elderly family member passed away, leaving behind a massive book and DVD collection, Sawyer Johnson of Christiana decided to sell the items as part of an Eagle Scout project to benefit the Moores Memorial Library of Christiana.

Sawyer, a member of Atglen Boy Scout Troop 20, will present a book and DVD sale on Saturday, May 6, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot at the library, located at 9 W. Slokom Ave., Christiana. All proceeds will be used by Sawyer to fund his project, which will include the installation of two park benches, fencing and a shrub.

All items will be nominally priced, and only cash will be accepted. "We will have a bulk option where you can get a bag of DVDs," said Sawyer, noting that the bags will be provided.

Sawyer, 14, a homeschooled student, explained that the sale items are from his great-uncle, who resided in Oxford. "He had over 4,000 DVDs, and we didn't even count the books, but there are hundreds," said Sawyer. "We came to clean the house after he passed away, and there were mountains of DVDs in his basement. We tried a few and they worked fine."

The DVDs represent all different genres of movies. "We will have them all categorized by genre on the (sale) tables," said Sawyer. "We will have a table for science fiction, Westerns and so on."

There will be an assortment of fiction and nonfiction books as well. "Before he retired, he was a physics teacher, and there are a lot of physics and science books, " noted Sawyer's father, Steve Johnson. "He has history books and was into geology, and there are books about Lancaster and Chester County history."

Sawyer noted that the project was approved by the Scoutmaster, the troop committee and library director Trish Vandenbosch and the library board.

After the sale, Sawyer will buy a holly bush from a local nursery and build the two benches. He will also fence off a portion of the library near the entrance that people often use to take a shortcut into the library. "The fence will be mounted onto the concrete curb that exists by the library entrance," said Steve, noting that the fencing will be purchased from Integrous Fences and Decks in Gap.

"(The work) will be on a Saturday in May or June. I will be leading other Scouts from the troop to help me," Sawyer said. "One bench will go on the corner of the intersection where the library faces the road. The other bench will be under the cherry tree near the entrance."

Sawyer must document the process in order to complete the Eagle Scout project requirement. "I'll be taking photos of Scouts working throughout the whole thing and the building process and then write it up and submit it to the Scout board," he said.

Sawyer added that he still has merit badges to complete before earning the Eagle Scout rank, which is the highest award in Boy Scouting.

The upcoming sale will be held rain or shine. Books and DVDs that do not sell will be donated to the Moores Memorial Library Read Moore Book Store and local charities.