March madness kiddie lit style

Look, I've been a huge proponent of children's literature ever since I got into the field lo these many three years now. I think it's great. I would probably have ventured to guess that many people agree with me too. But there's no evidence for how popular children's literature is until you witness for yourself the dreaded Donnell Central Children's RoomSpring Book Sale.

Here what just happened. I'm sitting at the Reference Desk minding my own business, the doors of the library open at 10, the elevator comes up to the second floor, and suddenly I see fifteen grown adults running hell for leather into the Story Hour Room where the books are being sold. Not meandering. Not looking about and taking a jolly stroll. Running as if the devil were behind them poking him with this sharp sharp stick. THAT kind of running.

I mean, I couldn't help it. I just started laughing. What on earth is going on? Well, the yearly book sale is an event in and of itself. I, having gotten a peek into the bookroom early, grabbed a copy of Dear Genius before anyone else could. Ha HA!

The downside to learning that there are adults out there wholly obsessed with this sale? Bored children. Kids, particularly smaller kids, couldn't care less about old books for sale. So I'm basically babysitting two or three of the little buggers as their parents paw through countless crusty volumes of God knows what-all.

Anywho, if you happen to be living in New York and you want some amazing deals on out-of-print children's literature titles, come on down. It's going on today and tomorrow (Saturday) and it's a truly amazing event to witness. I just hope I don't have to break apart any knife fights. You know how parents get...