The Book Sale was founded in 1952. In 2007 the Conference took it over as a community service and fundraiser for Conference programs.
The sale is in Hyde Park Shopping Center Courtyard, 55th and Lake Park Ave. (Sat-Mon)- Sat and Sun 9 am-6 pm, Monday (box and bag day) 9 am-2 pm. The sale is always Columbus Weekend, 2nd weekend in October, 2020 October 10-12. Collection starts 3rd Sunday of August (expected to be in Hyde Park Bank lower level).
CONTACT booksale@hydepark.org.
Chairperson Betsy Budney.

As in the Nov. 18 2019 HPKCC e-Newsletter:

Thank You for Another Successful Used Book Sale, 2019.

The Hyde Park Book Sale is the main fundraiser for the HPKCC, and it went very well this year, even with the new collection site. For the three months before the sale, Hyde Park Bank gave us a wonderful space to accept book donations, and to sort the books. The bank management, the building management, the security guards, the engineers, the cleaning staff are all wonderful people who have made us feel welcome, supported us, and did their best to make this new book room feel like home. They were lifesavers for this year’s book sale.

Thank you to:

Everyone who brought their books over to the Hyde Park Bank Building
Everyone who came to the sale to buy books
All the wonderful and dedicated volunteers, who sorted and packed the books, worked shifts on the three sale days, and helped clean up afterward
The young men of the Kenwood Brotherhood, for doing heavy lifting

Special thanks to:

Hyde Park Bank
The produce department of Whole Foods at 51st and Lake Park for saving banana boxes for us to pack books
The Hyde Park Shopping Center for giving us the space to hold this amazing book sale since 1952!
-Betsy Budney, Book Sale Committee Chair

Chair: Betsy Budney

The annual Hyde Used Book Sale is held on Columbus Day weekend at the 55th and Lake Park Shopping Center. The Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference assumed responsibility for the sale in 2007 in order to maintain this Hyde Park tradition (it was previously run for about 50 years by the Hyde Park Co-op staff and volunteers). HPKCC was fortunate to enjoy the sponsorship and support of Treasure Island Foods, which provided a room for sorting and a central collection point for books.

Hyde Park Used Book Sale FAQ

Where do the books come from?

All books are donated. Many people enjoy culling their bookshelves to donate, and restocking at the sale.

When and where can I donate my books?

Donations will be accepted from 3rd Sunday in August to last Sunday in September or 1st Sun. of October in Hyde Park Bank entry lobby by the single bank elevator on the left side. Look for the bins. Tax receipts for donations are available; arrangements can be made through the booksale email.

Can I donate books at other times of year?

We are not set up to accept donations year-round. Arrangements can be made for pickup during the drop off period.

How many books do you offer, and how much do they cost?

We typically offer 40,000-50,000 books, at prices ranging from 50 cents to $2.00. A small number of “special” books are priced higher.

So, can I just give you everything on my bookshelf?

We accept books, sheet music, and professional audiovisual media. The only magazines we accept are National Geographic, Poetry Magazine, American Heritage, and crafting magazines. We do not accept any scholarly journals, and the only encyclopedia we accept is the 11th edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica. We only take computer books less than 5 years old. All donations must be in readable condition. Anything that does not meet these criteria will be recycled before the sale.

I can’t get my books over to the Bank; can you pick them up?

Limited pickup service, scheduled in advance, is available during the donation period. If there Is no other way to get your books to us, please call or email us, but don’t leave it to the last minute!

Who does the work?

The work is done largely by volunteers. We are always looking for new volunteers to sort books or work at the sale, call or email us.

What happens to the leftover books?

On the Monday of the sale, from 11.30 am-1.30 pm, non-profit organizations and Chicago Public School teachers are invited to take free books. Pre-registration is essential, call 773-419-1384 or email janeciacci@aol.com, by October 1, 2018, please. Books that are left at 2 pm on the last day are donated to the non-profit Discover Books.

Where does the money go?

The Used Book Sale is the major fundraising activity for HPKCC. The profits enable the Conference to support schools, parks and neighborhood activities. For example, in the past we have supported travel expenses for Le Cantante di Chicago, the Kenwood Academy Jazz Band, King College Prep spring 2018 trip to France, and the Bret Harte 8th grade trip to Washington, DC; and the Hyde Park Youth Symphony gala. We support programs of the Friends of Blackstone Library, and act as a sponsor of Hyde Park 4th on 53rd, the Ray School Walkathon, the Hyde Park Breast Cancer Walk, and the SECC Neighborhood Enhancement Grants.