Why this Tucson sale is the best for cheap books, music this weekend

Thousands of books for $1-$4 apiece

One of Tucson's best kept secrets when it comes to building the home library with quality books on the cheap is the Friends of the Pima County Public Library sale, which happens once a month at the group's facility, 2230 N. Country Club Road.

More than 25,000 books come through the non-profit's doors each month, donated by book collectors and the Pima County library system, according to Libby Stone, the organization's executive director since 2007. 

The gems are sold through online sites such as Amazon and AbeBooks or through auction houses (L. Frank Baum's "Mother Goose in Prose," a title received by the Friends last summer, recently went for $1,500). 

The remaining titles are sold at the monthly sale, which takes place Friday, November 11-Monday, November 14 this month.

The Friends sale has thousands of titles available, most of which are $1-$4 apiece.

The money raised goes back into the Pima County library system. The Friends raise up to $250,000 a year for the Pima County system's programs and services. 

The perfect place for the right recipes: Cookbooks!

Cookbooks take up significant space on the south wall of the book sale building.  

The section is often overflowing with new and not-so-new guides to local, regional and international cuisine. 

One book, two book, red book, blue book: Titles for kids

While parents can get lost for hours in the mystery, romance and history sections of the book sale, kids also have ample opportunity to peruse shelf after shelf of children's books, with heaps of contemporary and vintage titles available. 

Added bonus: Most of the books in the children's section, which is located on the northeast end of the building, are between 50 cents and $1. 

They have music. Lots of music.

In addition to books, the Friends sales often carry hundreds of album titles in CD and vinyl format. Again, prices are kept to a minimum (starting at $1).

"We have a lot of regulars who come to every sale for the albums," director Libby Stone said. "They love it." 

Antique titles for next-to-nothing

The coolest section by far at the book sale is the one where you can browse titles that were released more than 100 years before you were born. 

Stone said the Friends receive plenty of antique and vintage books every month, most of which are sold on-site. 

Homegrown Arizona authors

The Arizona authors and Western book sections are some of the most popular sections at the sale, according to Stone. 

Fiction and non-fiction authors familiar to Tucson (Jance, Kingsolver etc) are represented. 

Entire shelves are dedicated to the city and its rich history. 

Special books that you can gift to others

You can't throw a rock (nor should you) inside the Friends' building without finding books worth gifting to others. 

The sale has many areas where specialty titles and signed books can be found. 

If you are willing to spend a little extra, the Best of Friends room on the west end of the building has a selection that costs a bit more, but make for quality birthday presents. 

A seemingly endless supply of good reading

With 25,000 titles coming in monthly, you probably don't have to worry about the Friends running out of new titles to sell to the public. 

The organization's warehouse is packed with books and a small army of more than 300 volunteers who regularly come in to restock the shelves.