The BookStore
Our BookStore contains over 2500 almost new and used books, audio books, CDs, and DVDs with a constant turnover of the inventory. Some books are put in storage to be used in our three weekend sales each year in the Canyon and Chabot rooms. Remaining books are donated to deserving organizations and programs throughout Alameda County.
The BookStore is open every day the library is open except Sunday and is staffed entirely by volunteers from the Castro Valley community.
All proceeds from the bookstore and periodic Book Sales are used to benefit the Library by purchasing books, furniture, equipment, and fixtures, and by supporting various Library programs. We are awed by, and greatly appreciate, the generosity of our donors!
Donate Books
Detailed Guidelines for Donations
Your donated books and magazines are the primary source of income for the Friends of the Castro Valley Library. We accept donations at the Bookstore when the store is open. Please do not bring donations during the last 30 minutes the store is open since volunteers are preparing to close for the day and may not be able to accept your donation.
The Friends accept donations of books and many audio-visual materials. We accept hardback and paperback books, fiction and non-fiction, as well as children’s books. Almost any subject matter is acceptable, though we do not accept pornographic, racist, and other generally objectionable materials.
Please be considerate when setting aside books and other materials to donate. Our volunteers should not have to process and throw out unacceptable materials. Thank you!
We do not accept copies of any copyrighted materials, such as home made CDs, DVD copies, or photocopied publications.
If you have more than 8 boxes of books to donate, please call the Friends Office at (510) 733-3285 to make arrangements for such a large donation. Because we have limited storage capacity at the library and in our storage facility, special arrangements must be made for processing large donations. Thank you!
Work in the BookStore!
Volunteers are welcome to apply to work in the BookStore. Following acceptance and a training session with experienced staff, new volunteers are typically asked to "fill-in" on different shifts until more permanent places arise.There is always a need for weekend staff.
The work in the BookStore involves:
- Constant contact with customers and donors
- Acceptance and processing of donations
- Evaluation of value of the donations
- Developing knowledge of the categories of books and audiovisual materials for sale
- Moving, boxing and shelving of books in the BookStore/Office
- Handling money
- Keeping accurate records of transactions
- Acceptance of established procedures for working in the BookStore/Office
Volunteer!
BookStore News!
Look for our “bargain basement” shelves!. The BookStore staff has added shelves for reduced price books in both the fiction and nonfiction sections. These bottom-row shelves contain hardback books that have been reduced from the normal $2 (or higher) price to just $1 each because they have been on the shelf a little too long or because we have an oversupply. These are our usual good quality books, so please remember to take a peek when visiting our store.
Gift Certificates/Gift Cards
Our gift certificates are now available in $5, $10, and $25 denominations, or in a denomination of your choosing. You can also obtain $10.00 wallet-sized gift cards.
These are wonderful all-occasion gifts for book lovers, especially since our prices are so low.