Macy’s is once again collecting books for the annual used book sale, which benefits the Southern Kentucky Book Fest.

This is the ninth year for the sale, the second under the Macy’s banner, according to store General Manager Jerald Manning. Prior to that, it was the Famous-Barr Used Book sale.

“We feel like it’s a great way for Macy’s associates to be involved in community activities and to reinforce one of our values, which is to give back to the community,” Manning said.

Manning and 15 to 20 other employees generally work at the sale that is Feb. 8-10.

But nearly every sales associate will have some level of involvement since the store is a drop-off site for books.

“We have just been collecting since Sunday and I checked this morning and think we had 300 or 400 books,” Manning said Friday.

Each year, as many as 30,000 items are donated.

“We would be glad to come and pick up large donations,” he said.

Otherwise, customers can bring items to any sales associate or pull up to the curb and ask someone to come out and help bring multiple materials in, Manning said.

Items can be dropped off through Feb. 6 at the store or the main Bowling Green Public Library at 1225 State St.

Manning said the sale generates about $15,000 each year, money which goes to the book fest, which is April 19, and its programs.

“That’s a real nice donation,” he said.

Book sale organizers request that no magazines or textbooks be brought in.

Otherwise, they need hardback and paperback books of all genres, videos, compact discs and DVDs.

“There is a big push for children’s books,” Manning said. “We get a lot of parents who come in to shop.”

Manning said the sale is very popular and not only draws individuals but companies that come in to buy large lots of books.

Children’s librarian Laura Johnson said she used to work at the Depot Library and was there for the set up of the Macy’s book sale, as well as the one for the Friends of the Library, and observed what people liked to buy.

“James Patterson is always a very popular one … so is Stephen King,” she said.

People also often search for complete series of books that are out of print or ones they need to complete a series.

“They really just run the gamut,” Johnson said.One of the programs the book fest sponsors is the One Campus-One-Community-One-Book program. The selection this year is “Days of the Endless Corvette” by Man Martin. The book will be distributed at kickoff events Jan. 24 at the library and on the campus of Western Kentucky University, its library system and Barnes & Noble Booksellers, which are book festival partners.

Martin will visit the area for public discussions Feb. 28. A 10 a.m. presentation is at the National Corvette Museum; one is at 2 p.m. at WKU’s Helm Library Room 100; and another is 6 p.m. at the Bowling Green Public Library.

The Southern tale is about a genius mechanic who attempts to build a Corvette entirely from spare parts to win back the girl of his dreams.

— For more information about the program visit www.bgonebook.org or contact Tracy Harkins, Community Outreach Manager for WKU Libraries, at 745-5016. For book dropoffs, Macy’s hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Bowling Green Public Library hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.