The annual hunt for a big enough venue is on for the Friends of the Guelph Public Library’s Giant Book Sale.
The three-day sale, one of the biggest of its kind anywhere, has been forced to move from space to space in recent years. Last year it found accommodations in the large warehouse at 69 Huron Street.
Given that it has over 100,000 books and other items on offer, the sale needs a lot of space. It happens this year from Oct. 20-22.
Virginia Gillham, chair of the Friends, said in a press release that the organization hoped the Huron Street space would be available again this year. And while there is a chance it might be, there is also a good chance that the sale may have to find a different space yet again. A minimum of 20,000 square feet is needed.
Nothing is certain yet, but Gillham said it is prudent to look for an alternative now. In recent years, finding a space has come down to a nervy scramble, a bit too close for comfort to the event date.
A sale site must be confirmed no later than June 1 – under a month from now. That date is necessary to ensure that sale planning and preparations can begin on schedule in early August.
Gillham hopes going public now might grab the attention of someone with a connection to an appropriate space.
“It would be disappointing in the extreme to have to cancel the sale after ten increasingly successful years,” she stated. Recently the sale has surpassed $100,000 in sale, funds that go to the Guelph Public Library for various services and programs.
Here are some of the space requirements:
A minimum of 20,000 square feet of ground level space with washroom facilities, reasonably good lighting and a loading door.
The space is needed for the months of September and October, and ideally for the month of August as well. The organization can not afford to pay rent, but as a registered charity it could offer a tax receipt. Friends of the Guelph Public Library is ensured by the City of Guelph.
If you have any leads on an suitable space, contact [email protected].
