05/21/2026
Thank you to the organizers, volunteers, and readers who made this book sale a huge success!
This year's Times Colonist Book Sale was the best ever
This year’s Times Colonist book sale raised $281,435.85, which means it was the best one since we started the sale in 1998.
Dave Obee
about 4 hours ago
The final count is in. This year’s Times Colonist book sale raised $281,435.85, which means it was the best one since we started the sale in 1998.
Most of the money is raised during the two days of the sale, but we can’t announce a total until the final dollars, quarters and dimes arrive. They come from the groups that pay us lump sums for the books that are still at the Victoria Curling Club after the two big days.
The amount we have to distribute will be boosted by a grant from the provincial government that is given through Decoda Literacy Solutions.
The sale was started in response to provincial government cuts to school libraries. We still help those libraries through cash donations and by letting school librarians take their pick of books, for free, on the Monday after the sale.
We also give money to organizations that help people learn to read, or improve their literacy skills.
Free leftover books also go to a wide variety of non-profits. Books donated in our drive might end up in a local thrift store, in a little free library in your neighbourhood, or on a table in a waiting room of a community organization.
I hate cliches, so I will say this quickly: This is a gift that keeps on giving.
Of course, we also help all of you. Need space? Donate books — next April, I mean. Need more books? See us at the curling club in the first weekend of May.
The book sale is possible because of all of you, but special thanks should go to about a thousand volunteers. A truly amazing group.
The sale is run by the Times Colonist Literacy Society, a registered charity, not by the newspaper itself. Support from the Times Colonist helps to keep operating costs low, which means more money can be put to work.
The society accepts donations throughout the year. If you would like to donate to help local literacy work, go to our website, tcreads.ca.
You will find a link to a CanadaHelps donation page. You can give once or set up a monthly donation.
Thank you, thank you for making the TC sale a success. We’ll be watching for you at our 30th annual sale, which will start with the drop-off weekend, less than 11 months away.
Dave Obee is editor and publisher of the Times Colonist
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