If you don't mind a slightly appreciated book, the Missouri River Regional Library is holding a Pop-Up Book Sale this weekend.
The sale, a partnership between the library and Adult Basic Literacy Education, goes through Sunday. It features a selection of slightly used children's books, cookbooks and adult fiction, library Assistant Director Betty Hagenhoff said. It also offers games and puzzles.
It takes scores of volunteers to put on the book sale, which is the second "pop-up" sale of the year, Hagenhoff said. The previous one happened in January and was the first of its kind. At that time, the volume of books set aside for the annual ABLE/MRRL Book Sale, held every March, had reached its limit, so the library had to get rid of some of its stock.
Fifteen to 20 volunteers helped set up for the first day of this weekend's sale, held in the library's gallery, she said. Dozens more did and will attend registers, assist shoppers and restock the sales tables during the event.
Kit Freudenberg has been volunteering at the library for about four years.
"Until I started volunteering, I didn't have any idea of the depth of the programs or what you would find in the library," Freudenberg said. "I thought, 'Oh, my gosh. There's so much here.'"
She spent Friday morning setting up the tables in the children's area for the sale, stacking books with titles like "Field Guide to Insects," "101 Halloween Jokes" and "Don't Try This at Home: Science Fun for Kids on the Go," a book about backyard science experiments.
More than 30 people stood in line when the doors to the gallery opened at noon. Some came in and began browsing. Others carried lists of their most sought-after prizes. Some carried boxes and bags for their loot. A few went in with the thought of being more conservative.
Sheila Murphy was among the first in the door. She only spent a few moments in the room before making a single book selection - a hardbound 1990s copy of "The Fannie Farmer Cookbook." The cookbook originally was published in 1896.
Murphy said she already has a paperback copy of the tome.
"There are certain books that when I see them, I grab them," Murphy said. "('Fannie Farmer') is full of classics. And, it's just a great, classic cookbook."
Everybody at the sale was looking for something different, she said.
Profits from the sale are split between the library and ABLE, which provides tutors for adults or middle school students to help improve literacy.
Karlene Diekroeger, the president of the ABLE board of directors, sat at a table Friday helping check out book-buyers as they left the library.
She said the book sales are the only fundraisers her organization holds. Otherwise, it is funded through United Way of Central Missouri contributions as a United Way partner agency.
The pop-up sale continues 9 a.m.-5 p.m. today and 1-5 p.m. Sunday at the library, 214 Adams St. in Jefferson City.