Harpers Ferry resident Loni Wronka-Edwards searches for another book to add to her pile at the Friends of Shepherdstown Library Book Sale in the Shepherdstown Public Library on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Over the past few months, Harpers Ferry resident Loni Wronka-Edwards has been enjoying the peace and quiet in the Scarborough Library, spending countless hours there studying for her graduate certificate classes. When she looked online to confirm the library would be open for some study time on Saturday, she was disappointed, and quickly began searching for an alternate spot.

She found herself, instead, driving for the first time to the Shepherdstown Public Library (SPL), where she did find her ideal study environment — along with a number of books begging for her to take them home with her, at the annual Friends of Shepherdstown Library Book Sale in the SPL Commons Room.

“I like nonfiction,” Wronka-Edwards, who is a federal contractor, said. “I like true crime, but I also am in the field of biodefense, so I’m very interested in biological warfare, the history of bio warfare, intelligence and all kinds of similar stuff. I’m also fascinated by the psychology of things, which is why I’m interested in this book, about Jack the Ripper.”

Her hands filled up quickly, as she found more and more books that peaked her interest.

“I lucked out that the Scarborough Library was not open today,” Wronka-Edwards said, before delving further into the sale’s history section.

Book lovers search through the tables of books at the Fiends of Shepherdstown Library Book Sale in the Shepherdstown Public Library on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

Fellow history lover Ralph Scorza also found a number of treasures at the sale, which he added to his extensive library at home. For him, the wonderful thing about the sale was how low its prices were, given its excellent selection.

“Libraries are one of the most important resources we have, for our community. Some people want to start their own personal libraries, and this a great opportunity for them to be able to do that, at a price which is affordable,” Scorza, who lives in Shepherdstown, said. “It’s very important to have book sales like this.”

SPL Adult Services Librarian Addison Reese said she and her fellow librarians vetted all of the community’s donations to the sale. Books which were in good condition and missing from the library’s collection were added to the library shelves. The remaining books in good condition were then organized by genre and placed in the Commons Room, for the four-day sale.

“Thursday we had a pre-sale event, where people could pay $10 to get in,” Reese said, mentioning many book sellers are willing to pay a small price, to purchase in-demand, quality books at a discount price. “It was a big night — we made $1,400 from that.”

She noted that a good number of the book donations to the sale were in like-new condition. The few donations in poor condition, such as those with water damage, were given away at the library for free.

“We try to separate out that stuff. We want people to be able to enjoy looking through the books, without encountering anything grimy or undesirable,” Reese said, noting their quality control measures seem to pay off. “We get lots of complements that they’re all good quality books.”

Over $5,300 was raised from this year’s fundraiser, according to FOSL in an announcement on Monday.