The South Central Regional Library's 43rd annual book sale has wrapped up and thousands of books have now found a new home.

Thursday, getting set for the three-day sale, organizers and volunteers unpacked about 1,500 boxes of books filling up tables throughout the community hall at the Morden Access Event Centre. After neatly organizing all the books, by 6 pm Thursday, they were ready for the many people eagerly waiting to get in the doors.

Money raised through the sale goes back all 5 South Central Regional Library (SCRL) branches to purchase new books.

SCRL Director of Library Services, Cathy Ching, says they anticipate this year's sale to bring in between $18,000 and $20,000, before expenses.

About 1,500 boxes of books unpacked on Thursday and were neatly organized for shoppers to browse

Ching says some years are better than others with the number of people making an outing to the sale. "Weather has a big influence on if people are out in the garden, or if they're here," said Ching. "Thursday night we found that the Jets hockey game really made a difference, so we're a little bit lower than we have been other years, but by the look of today, (Saturday morning) it's going to be okay."

Elaine Ivey, chairperson for the book sale committee, says a lot of people come to the sale with a list, with some hoping to add to or complete a collection. "We had a man who is a western fan, and he reads Louis L'Amour...he found 10 or so books that he didn't have in his collection, so that was a great find for him."

At the end of the sale, Ching says any leftover books will be donated to several other groups. "Canada Post always has a sale they put towards their charity, so they'll be coming to get books, and we have prison libraries coming to pick books for their prison library sale and for their prison population."

Ching adds if there are books left after that, the Morden Fire Department will take some for their annual sale, and the others are sent to U.S. company Better World Books, where they are sold, and a commission is then sent back to SCRL.

Things won't quiet down for long for the book sale committee. Ching notes in about a month and a half they will already begin pricing books for their 44th annual sale in 2019.