The eighth annual big book sale is returning to the Columbia Valley this summer.

Friends of the Invermere Public Library are encouraging community bookworms to donate used books of any genre to the Invermere Public Library before the July 9th deadline.

“The book sale isn’t until July 7th, but at this point, we would like to remind people that we will gladly take their used books, which helps them do their spring cleaning or empty their bookshelves,” said Lynda Tutty, Friends of the Invermere Public Library chair. “We like to say, ‘we accept gently used books’.”

Ms. Tutty estimates that roughly 10,000 books have been donated to the event in the past, and is optimistic to see the fundraiser’s continued success this year.

“That would be our goal,” she said. “We have in the past made about $10,000 over the last couple of years for the library. This (money) is (used) for the extras at the library. It helps them put on children’s programs, and at one point there were some improvements to the children’s area.”

In addition, the proceeds have been put toward purchasing books on tape, DVDs and new books as well.

Library programming benefits from the fundraiser as 100 per cent of the profits are used to cover the costs of initiatives that don’t fall under the library’s budget.

“It’s for the above and beyond,” said Ms. Tutty. “The extras that we try to have and finance. It also helps us take care of special programs that are supported by fundraising.”

There are some restrictions in the criteria for acceptable donations.

“We ask people not to bring us National Geographics, textbooks or computer manuals please,” said Ms. Tutty.

But the sky is the limit for everything else.

“We take books of all genres, then sort them into dozens of categories,” she said. “The books are very organized so (shoppers) can browse for what they’re looking for or find something that they didn’t know they wanted.”