By Una Yarsky
Educational non-profit, Turning the Page, and their pop up bookstore program, Carpe Librum, hosted a donation book bazaar at The Lot on 4th and M St. on Oct. 11, from 10:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. The bazaar was held as a special edition of the Market SW that usually takes place every two weeks, as the location had enough space for the books and other media Turning the Page wished to sell.
According to their website, Turning the Page (TTP), works to unite student communities and schools to foster “a high-quality public education.” The organization believes families are crucial to a student’s success, and they work to provide families with a multitude of educational resources to help students advance during their academic careers. Along with encouraging families to help their children with school work, TTP teaches families about their roles in the school community and the influence families have over how the school operates.
TTP accepts gently used book donations from the general public. At the moment, they do not accept VHS tapes, encyclopedias, or magazines. The organization has annual pop up book sales around both Washington, D.C. and Chicago, Ill. In the DMV area, TTP has hosted pop up sales in Dupont Circle and Rockville, Md.
The Oct. 11 event sold second hand books, CDs, and records, with all prices under six dollars. The book bazaar raised over $5000 and sold about 1000 used books in total. There were books of every genre, including a young adult and children’s section. The event also included a blackboard that asked “What is your favorite book?’’ Guests were given chalk to write down their answers, which ranged from classics such as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, to graphic novels like The Last Kids on Earth, by Max Brallier.
In addition to the book sale, attendees were treated to music, a beer garden, and local food trucks. The book bazaar provided Southwest community with a time to come together and provided TTP with an opportunity to spread information about their organization and mission.