VNSA Annual Book Sale

This is my dream come true. Rows and rows of $ 1 – 2 books — and not those crappy books that everyone already has which you usually find in low-​quality used bookstores, but instead the books that you’ve been hoping to find cheap for a while. New books, classics, textbooks, cookbooks, you name it and they probably have it (although the exact location might be difficult to figure out). Even better, the VNSA Book Sale is for a good cause. My husband knows me well and brought me here for Valentines’ Day, and this is my new favorite yearly event.

I attended this big book ‘fair’ for the 2^nd time this year @ the Ariz State fairgrounds /​inside the Exhibit building. It marked their 59^th year so they must’ve been doing something right and useful. It’s held every February during the 2^nd weekend. Admission is free but there is a parking fee (which VNSA emphasize goes to the fair and not to them– you can always save by using public transit or bike or walk). I managed to score a few vintage books from my 2 visits with their Sunday ½ price special, which makes it even alot cheaper than if you’re able to find any used @ Amazon. I managed to find old scrapbook-​themed publication or very old cookbooks, which is what I usually search for and managed to purchase for even 50 cents each when some of them were valued for about $ 25+, and they were clean and in great condition. I’m not crazy about those orange pricing stickers they used but at least they do come off– just that if you purchased LOTS of books, then that’s alot of stickers to remove. I brought my trusty fashionable totebag, but some attendees (serious collectors? hoarders? resellers?) brought suitcases, huge crates, even using their baby strollers (ugh– mothers, please respectfully leave your cranky babies/​kids & rude strollers at home!), and VNSA provided grocery-​store shopping carts. Saturday mornings have a LONG line with some even spending the night like Black Friday (hoarders? curiosity over rare/​unusual books?), so go during late morning or any time the rest of the day. I attended Sunday late morning and there was no line, less crowded, and the checkout moved quicker. They take cash, in-​state checks, and debit/​credit cards. In concluding, it looks like people (like me) still (heart) books…
VNSA (who are voluntteers) get the (unwanted) books from various official drop boxes all over Phoenix and sort and categoriize (music, fiction, cookbook, vintage cookbook, biography, so forth) all year until the big weekend. After the sale, they donate the proceeds to their chosen organizations. They did a good job keeping the premises continually clean and organized– and even have security, just in case and of course, while I was there, ‘everyone’ got along (wink).
AZ State fairgrounds staff has been very good at holding educational /​fun events for decades in such a rugged environment which helps keep the costs down, and even while the neighborhood has seen a steady urban decline– but, not to the point where I’d feel uncomfortable. I support lots of activities in /​near downtown Phoenix– that’s what keeps this city going.

Our first time, this past weekend (Sat., 2÷16÷13). Yes, a veeerrryyy long line. We got there at 7:45, and got in with the third group, at about 9:00. Yes, lots of books. And some good books. My pet peeve, though? The price stickers they use. Ouch! Try getting them off the book without peeling some or all of the underneath dust jacket, cover, gilt, whatever right off with it! It is really painful watching the value of your book go down moment by moment as you peel off the nice bright orange price sticker. And not content with just one of these non-​user-​friendly atrocities — there’s one inside, too!
We did find some books worth buying, but for collectors — either there wasn’t much in our areas of interest, or the hardcore over-​nighters got to them first!
Great for just general-​interest purchases, though, and a fun experience. Definitely bring something to carry your books in; it gets very crowded, and your purchases may accumulate quickly!!!

If you love books and you don’t want to drop a lot of cash, you’ve got to make it to this sale! Basically it’s a warehouse with scores of tables overflowing with used books (in great condition) priced from $ 1 — $ 5 each (most are $ 1 or $ 2) They have every type of book you could possibly want divided into sections: fiction & nonfiction in every genre you can think of.
This is a huge event that only happens once a year, so the lines are crazy, but it’s totally worth it!
This was my fourth year, so here are a few tips:
Get there super early (we usually get there around 6 am; doors open at 8). It’s better to get there early than have to wait in line because they only let so many people in at a time — you don’t want to have to bake in the sun and miss out on the best titles.
Bring a camping chair and some coffee for the wait. Around 7:30, just send someone back to the car to put your chairs and snacks away.
Parking is $ 8, so you should carpool to save a few bucks. That makes waiting in line much more fun anyway.
Bring a backpack or cloth bags to tote your books around in.
Also, bring cash! They do accept credit cards and AZ checks, but there is almost never a line at the cash only checkouts.
If you’re looking for even better deals, go on Sunday — everything is half off!
See you there next year!

Had a great treasure hunt at this event. Book prices and quantities are amazing. This event is well organized with a lot of helpful staff standing by. I pulled a few event volunteers for help and all went well out of there way to help me find what I was looking for. Came out with two giant bags of hard to find books for $ 80 bucks. I bet I would have paid excess of $ 800 bucks for the ones I picked out. People from all over the country come to this so watch out, you will find a line of people. I was told people lined up as early as a day before the event to get their place in line. Also bring a box, rolling cart or your own huge bag to stuff your books in, shopping carts inside the event went fast. Wonderful charity and I look forward to attending next years event.

I’m a sports and hiking guy and my mom’s into primitive cultures and shopping. Sometimes it’s hard finding activities to share, but we both have a hoot here.
It’s set up the same each February, in an enormous pavillion, but is well organized and staffed. We usually go on half price Sunday, after crowds thin a bit. There’s still hordes of people and hundreds of thousands of books. You cant possibly sift through it all.
We both find bargains right up our alley and the books are so cheap you can pull the trigger on intriguing titles you might not purchase at a book store. Even with the parking fee, it’s an unparalleled value, for a good cause and brings people together.
Every year when I walk out of this place, with a bagful of books in one arm and my elderly mom on the other, it feels like a morning well spent.

Fabulous. I just got back from the Annual VNSA Book Sale and managed to score $ 60 worth of books for only $ 6. The VNSA Book Sale only happens once a year in February and it’s always the same weekend. It is free unless you come here in a car. Parking is $ 7. I rode my bike over here and brought my backpack.. The last day is the best because everything is marked down even lower. You’ll find books reduced from $ 1.00 to .50 cents! Amazingly cheap! Everything is divided by categories and genres, fiction and non-​fiction. Until you’ve come here and experienced it yourself, you have no idea. The volunteers are more than helpful and all the proceeds goes to charities. It’s fantastic. I love it.