Deals on books can come with extra surprises at this Meridian Highlands library sale
It’s crazy the things one can pick up during sales at the Indy Library Store in Meridian Highlands.
Carly Simon and Biggie "best of" collections CDs for 25 cents each. A book on the impact of the Great Migration-spurring “The Chicago Defender” for three bucks. The first season of HBO series “Game of Thrones” on DVD for $2.
The sales, taking place 10 times a year at the Library Services Center, 2450 N. Meridian St., benefit The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation, which supports programming at The Indianapolis Public Library branches. The foundation focuses on providing programs — including financial literacy and health and wellness classes — for those without learning resources.
It takes about 60 volunteers to pull off each four-day sale of materials from the library branches, as well as items donated by residents.
During the first day of the latest public sale, in early December, one of them discovered a check for $196 in a donated copy of Debbie Macomber’s 2015 novel “Silver Linings” purchased for $1.
The December 2020 check was likely already deposited electronically as it had been endorsed, said Indy Library Store Coordinator Michael Ehret, but he would connect with the issuer to make sure right after the four-day sale.
Just ahead of the December event, a different book was found to hold a $1,200 check that appeared to be payment to the person who had donated the book.
“It was endorsed on the back and looked like it had been deposited. But I like to be sure. I called and they said it had been cleared,” Ehret said.
Other donated books have included concert tickets used as bookmarks.
There’s been cash found, as well. In those cases, the money typically goes to the foundation if there’s no indication of where the book came from.
For information about 2024 book sales, visit indyplfoundation.org.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 317 Project: Deals on books come with surprises at Indy book sales
