WARDEN — The Warden Friends of the Library held its first book sale since the pandemic Thursday and raised about $300 in the process.

“We were able to move a lot of books so we're thankful,” said Warden Friends of the Library President Toshi Nitta. She wasn’t sure how many books had actually sold, though.

“We didn't keep track of it because some people bought a box, you know, a box of books. So we really didn't count it. It was a lot of books that went out, though,” she added.

The little Warden Public Library, located at 305 S. Main Street, devoted a back room and three tables to the sale, all laden with new and gently-used books. Many of the books were donated by the owner of a book store in Seaside, Oregon that had closed its doors recently.

The funds raised will support the library’s summer reading program for kids, said librarian Jean Russell.

“(It pays for) anything that we need to promote the kids' programs - prizes, things like that,” she said. “It allows us to do different programs.”

The prices were certainly right. Children’s books went for a quarter, paperbacks for 50 cents and hardback books for $1. Puzzles and DVDs were also $1.

Christina Calzacorta of Warden came away with a haul. She bought four cardboard boxes full of books and had a stack of about half a dozen left over.

“I have to leave some books for everyone else,” she said.

Warden being the small town it is, the ladies of the Warden Friends of the Library knew most of the customers by name.

Volunteer Vicki Underhill has only been a member of Friends of the Library for a couple of years, so this was her first sale, she said. She managed to score a few books for herself as well.

“Cookbooks,” she said. “Cookbooks and westerns. I love to read westerns.”

Erin Morse was there with her daughters Maggie, 9, and Adi, 7.

“We home-school, and we’re getting ready to do a round on the Middle Ages,” she said, holding up a colorful edition of “The Art of Heraldry.” Maggie also discovered a book on medieval castles with detailed illustrations.

The Warden Friends of the Library haven’t been around very long, Nitta said, only about six years.

“Until then the librarians were using their own money to pick up prizes to use for the summer program,” she said. “And so when one person donated a whole bunch of books, someone suggested, ‘Well, why don't why don't we sell these donated books, and then use that for the summer program, and then anything else that the library can use?”

The sales will be held the third Thursday of every other month, Nitta said, alternating months with the Moses Lake Friends of the Library sale. Moses Lake held its sale in May and will have another in July, and Warden will hold its next one in August. They’re planning to skip December, she added.

A volunteer passed Calzacorta in the hall and said, “I think you’ve gone through all the shelves now.”

“Say it isn’t so,” Calzacorta answered.

Joel Martin can be reached via email at jmartin@columbiabasinherald.com.