Writer: Kylie Petty
Calling all book lovers: The biggest book sale in Iowa is turning a new page. After a brief pause, the decades-long tradition formerly organized by Planned Parenthood is back under new leadership. It’s set for Nov. 6-9 at the Elwell Family Food Center at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
A team of volunteers recently launched a new nonprofit, Iowa’s Biggest Book Sale, and plans to run the event in partnership with the Young Women’s Resource Center.
“We know the appetite the community has had for this event to come back,” said Rachel Woodhouse, executive director of the YWRC. “We’re so glad it gets to not only continue, but continue in support of the YWRC.”
This fall’s event may be smaller than previous sales, but the YWRC plans to grow the biannual event to its previous size over the next few years.
“It’ll be several days of the community coming together, buying books and other kinds of media, and getting to celebrate the revival of an event that is really important to the community,” Woodhouse said.
Planned Parenthood launched its first book sale more than 60 years ago but suspended it in 2023 after losing its warehouse due to streetscape upgrades on Second Avenue.
Community members are eager not only for the opportunity to buy books but also to donate the ones they’ve already read. “Giving books to the sale, buying new books, giving them back to the sale, buying new books — it’s a good cycle,” said Erin Moran, YWRC’s senior director of communications and community engagement.
Some bookworms have been holding on to books, puzzles and games since 2023, hoping for the sale’s return. After two years now, those donations — numbering in the thousands — will stock the stacks in November.
The books are organized into more than 90 categories and subcategories, from history to sports to cooking, making it easy for book lovers to find what they like or discover something new. In the past, used-book vendors have also browsed the books to add to their own inventories.
Since the sale has been around for more than six decades, it has generations of fans who are excited to see its sequel. Folks go for lots of reasons, but mostly because they like books and other book people.
“We want there to be joy,” Woodhouse said. “We want there to be a sense of community.”
