Book and media lovers will have a bountiful selection from which to choose next weekend, as an annual sale at the Cape Coral Library will turn a new page.

Next Friday and Saturday, the Friends of the Cape Coral Library will host its Spring Book Sale, running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 19 and 20. The large meeting room at the Cape Coral Library will be filled with thousands of quality used books arranged by category. There will be lots of fiction for adults and a section for children and teens. Attendees can find non-fiction sorted by subject, audio books and music CDs, plus movies on DVD. Most items are $1 or $2, with small paperbacks at less than a dollar. The Friends will also highlight a large selection of “special” books (such as those by Florida authors, autographed books, collectibles and more) that are priced somewhat higher, but are still an incredible bargain.

“Not only does the public look forward to these book sales, but also our members,” said Friends Publicity Chair Monica Rahman. “Our attendees love to sort through the books that are donated, and we separate fiction from non-fiction, and non-fiction are always organized by category. It’s a lot of work, and is a big job arranging them, but it’s fun.”

These book sales serve as fundraisers for the Friends, and are usually held each year in April and November. Member volunteers thoroughly enjoy opening the cartons of donated books as they arrive in a huge truck from their storage facility, with well over 500 boxes full of selections. Members then arrange books by type and category.

A special Friends members-only preview sale will be held Thursday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Non-members may join the non-profit organization at the door by paying the annual dues of $15 per family.

The sale will feature lots of fiction for adults, and a large section for children and teens. Attendees can find non-fiction sorted by subject, such as Art, Crafts, History, Biography, Cookbooks, Gardening and more.

“People are usually surprised when they enter our sale, because they just can’t imagine the amount of books we have,” Rahman said. “We try to photograph it, but the room is so big and there are just so many books.

“The other thing is, the prices are incredible. If people want to buy online, there is a shipping cost attached. There’s nothing better than actually being able to touch the book, feel the book, and see what kind of condition it’s in. We have great prices even on the ‘special’ books.”

Continuing from last November’s sale, there will be a book craft table, where member volunteers will show off their talents in creating crafts from books.

“Some of our crafters take pages from books and they bake different items such as bracelets, which are always a big hit,” Rahman said. “We also sell bookmarks. Some crafters make little animals out of folded paper, such as little hedgehogs or bunnies. It’s amazing to see.”

Proceeds from the event are used to support the Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library branch.

“Our mission is to provide direct support to the Cape Coral Library, and enhancements to the library experience,” Rahman said. “Most recently, we were one of the sponsors of the online Library Speakers Consortium through which participants can ask questions and interact with acclaimed authors from around the world.”

The Friends fund the Summer Reading Programs at the Cape Coral Library, funds library programs all year for all age groups, organizes exhibits by local artists, organizes and sponsors the annual “Coloring the Earth” environmental art contest, acts as a sponsor for the Southwest Florida Reading Festival, collaborates with the Garden Club of Cape Coral to support the Butterfly Garden at the Cape Coral Library, and more.

Payment options at the book sale are cash or personal check only.

Donations of gently used resale quality books, CDs and DVDs for the book sales are accepted year-round. Call the Friends’ phone message service at 239-349-2572, and leave a clear message with your phone number.

For more information, visit capefriends.org, and follow the group on Facebook.

The Cape Coral Library is at 921 Southwest 39th Terrace.