Million$ Mission Accomplished

October 24, 2019

The Friends of UW-Madison Libraries are pleased to announce that the accumulated revenue from the book sales did, indeed, surpass ONE MILLION DOLLARS during the Fall Sale! The event generated over $26,000 dollars, allowing the Friends to reach the goal set by Jim Dast 25 years ago when he started tracking the income of the book sales. The Friends owe their success to the Madison campus and community, having received donations of thousands of books and other materials over the years. Due to high-quality donations, the book sale is known for its valuable stock and draws throngs of visitors from around the region to snap up great books at bargain prices.

The income earned from the sales is used to promote and assist the UW-Madison Libraries. The all-volunteer Friends organization offers supplemental funding for outreach events, scholarly research, unique acquisitions, and preservation needs – all aimed at enhancing the strength and visibility of this valuable academic resource. “The Libraries are fortunate to enjoy the support of this long-standing Friends group,” remarked Lisa Carter, Vice Provost of Libraries. “The effort they put into pulling off a sale of this size is incredible.”

The Friends provided a celebratory cake on the opening night of the book sale, offering it to the many eager shoppers waiting in line for the sale to begin. Jim Dast, who intends to step down from a leadership role in future sales, cut the first piece. “Now someone else can go for the next million dollars,” he said.