CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Since March, the Friends of the Marshalltown Library has been selling donated books, puzzles, dolls and more on eBay to raise money for the library’s programming and collections.

Many people take to the Internet to sell items that otherwise would remain in the attic collecting dust. Earlier this year, the Friends of the Marshalltown Public Library decided to take donations unable to be incorporated into the library’s collection and list them on eBay.

Past Friend’s member Laura McIntosh got the online sales up and running in March and April, with Conny Schutte and Rose Mead taking over the enterprise. Rebecca Rutishauser, the Friends’ treasurer, provided the banking setup.

“We’ve always done the selling of the books in the library on a regular basis and the Friends of the Library book sale,” Schutte said. “But this was brought up as a way to adjunct those sales.”

The Friends group lists under the name marshalltowntownlibraryfriends and has sold approximately 260 items. There are roughly 280 things currently for sale.

Since April, gross sales (before taxes and shipping) on eBay amount to $6,034.95 with net sales of $4,212.

“I’m kind of a goal setter, and I thought if we could hit $4,000 by the end of the year, I was going to be happy. We’ve hit it, and now we’re exceeding it,” Schutte said.

After library staff determine a donated piece should be sold, Schutte and Mead evaluate condition, age, do research and take photographs and list on eBay. Schutte said they’re careful to accurately describe any flaws so buyers aren’t disappointed.

“We try not to put anything on the site that we would sell for under $10 and then those books would go to the daily sales or Friends of the Library book sale,” she added of the process.

What began with selling vintage children’s books has expanded to adult books, older magazines, yearbooks, puzzles, sports trading cards, toys and dolls. The Madame Alexander dolls for sale came from a donation by Bev Ruopp in 2017. Some with book tie-in were kept by the library and displayed on occasion.

Library Director Sarah Rosenblum donated 31 teen romances from the 1980s after purchasing them for 10 cents each at a local thrift store.

“I know there are collectors for all types of books, but I was happily surprised at the speed and the amount they sold for,” she said.

Shipping can be combined and local pickup is available at the library, although sales have come from all parts of the country.

“It’s been surprising to me books that have just gone immediately, versus ones that sit for a few months, and then suddenly somebody’s buying it,” Schutte said.

She added it’s been rewarding interacting with buyers who are thrilled to come across a rare book, oftentimes from their youth.

“That gives you a nice feeling that you are able to close that circle for someone that’s had some fun memories of that book from childhood,” she said.

Funds raised support the library’s programming and book collections, including helping with costs of the summer reading program.

“I am happy to talk with community members if they think they have something that they would like to donate. Vintage children’s books are very popular — old series like Cherry Ames, Trixie Belden, malt shop romance books, etc,” Rosenblum said.

The Friends of the Library accept gently used book donations for the ongoing book sale and annual book sale, year round. Drop off books at the library’s checkout desk. The library cannot accept textbooks, encyclopedias, Reader’s Digest condensed books and items in obvious poor condition.

Book donations are a gift to the Friends of the Library, and may be added to the library’s collection, sold, given to another library, or may be ultimately discarded. Donors may not expect any book donations to be returned to them, according to information obtained on the library’s website.

Contact Katie Fink at 641-754-5738 ext. 2 or kfink@marshalltown-ia.gov about memorial or honor book purchases.

To view the items available, visit: www.ebay.com/usr/marshalltowntownlibraryfriends.