Next up the Library's Author Series is Pearl Sofaer, who wrote Baghdad to Bombay: In the Kitchens of My Cousins.Pearl was born in Bombay, India though her family is originally from Iraq. Her book uses food and tradition to tell a compelling story about a family of Jews who journey to India. She will also sing Babylonian chants from her past. Don't miss this event on March 24 at 3pm at the Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road. Event details can be found here. Sponsored by Friends of the Palo Alto Library.

Even when the libraries are closed, you can still search the online catalog, submit reference desk questions, access many online resources, and get book recommendations.

Non-profit organizations and schools that need FREE books should come to the Bargain Room this month from 4 to 6 pm on Sunday, March 15.  Please bring your own grocery bags to put books into.  More information.

March Sale Happenings

The torrential rains in February put a damper on donations for a time, but during the past two weeks the donation flow has gone from trickle to flood. Once again our three sales rooms are fully stocked with great new books and media. It looks like Mother Nature is going to be kind to us on Sale Weekend as well as the forecast is for clear skies and highs in the 60s....SOME HIGHLIGHTS: Foodies are going to love our selection of cookbooks from Part II of the giant donation of culinary volumes we received last month. And like a great feast that never ends, another large donation of even more cookbooks arrived just this past week. The best stuff will be for sale in the Main Room but there will be dozens available in the Bargain Room and Outdoor Tent Sale as well...Classic Literature is also featured this month. The Classics aisle is overflowing so we've added another section near the exit which is filled with some nice older sets and individual volumes of great classic lit...Trying to make sense of the world today? Need some balance and perspective? Stop by Aisle 3 where you'll find a wide selection of books on Philosophy, Eastern and Western Religion and Spirituality...Other sections receiving a large volume of books this month are Home and Crafts, Science, History, Business, and Computers.

 
Preview Our Shelves

Check out some of the tens of thousands of books that will be on sale this weekend using our shelf preview pictures.

Our popular Outdoor Tent sale goes on. Thanks to some very dedicated volunteers who braved the inclement weather we managed to hold the Outdoor Sale the past two months despite less-than-perfect conditions. All items offered in this area are only $1.00 each and we have a great selection of books, movies, music and games. There are great bargains to be had. Popular items here have been hardback novels, cooking, science, military, reference (get a nice old dictionary for only $1.00!), travel guides, and VHS movies. This part of the sale opens at 9am under the big green tents, so long as it doesn't rain!

We've also expanded our Sunday hours to 11am-4pm in all rooms on a permanent basis.

 
New Exceptional/Collectible Books Display Case

We have experienced an unfortunate rise in thefts from our Book Sales, so we have made the decision to lock up some of our better vintage and collectible books. It is unfortunate that there are people out there that would take advantage of a non-profit organization for their own benefit. The new showcases are located on the wall next to the office, formerly the location of Movies & TV books, across from the Travel Guides. Due to the amount of foot traffic in the Main Room on Saturday between 11am and 1pm no sales from the case will be allowed until 1pm. After that time there will be staff available to assist with any browsing or purchases. We apologize for the for the inconvenience and ask for your patience as we work out the logistics of making this work for all.

 
Sunday Mystery 50% Off Sale Continues; Free Books for Sunday Shoppers

On Sunday March 15 there will be a 50% off sale on one category of books in the Main Room. The category will not be announced ahead of time, the only way you can find out which category is on sale is by attending the sale on Sunday. Signs will be posted on the doors and on the shelves of the section involved on the morning of the Sale. In addition, we will have a small selection of FREE books available to shoppers on Sunday. One free book per person, and you must purchase at least one item from the Sale. There are a limited number of free books and first-come, first-served. This applies to the Main Room only. Doors open at 11am.

By shopping at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park and Amazon.com, a percentage of your purchase price can help the Palo Alto Libraries at no cost to you.  At Kepler's, just mention to the cashier that you want to support the Friends of the Palo Alto Library.  For Amazon.com, always start your shopping session by clicking here or on the Amazon link on the top right of any of our web pages at www.friendspaloaltolib.org.  Virtually all purchases you make at Amazon are eligible, not just books.  Over the years, we've raised thousands of dollars to help our libraries through these programs.