CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Samuel Huang helps unpack children's books an preparation for the "Friends of the University of Arizona Libraries" book sale. 500 to 600 people are expected to visit the sale.

Students looking for cheap books can find bargains at the 10th annual "Friends of The University of Arizona Libraries" book sale, running through Sunday.

Located at the El Con Mall, 3601 E. Broadway Blvd., the book sale is one of the many events "Friends" organizes each year to fundraise money for the library.

The sale includes more than 40,000 books, including textbooks, which will be available at a price of 50 cents to $4. Other merchandise such as CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes will be sold for $2.

Founded in 1977, the club consists of 325 UA alumni and community members who donate books and money to the library, as well as volunteering and organizing events such as fundraisers and poetry readings.

Dee Ann Sakrison, chairman of "Friends," said most colleges at the UA are given donations by alumni, but since no one graduates from the library, most people do not think to donate the library funding.

However, the library is a very important part of the university, which must also rely on private funding as well as fundraising, Sakrison said.

To raise money for the library, "Friends" organizes several fundraisers throughout the year, however, the annual book sale is the biggest, raising about $13,000 to $14,000, Sakrison said.

All of the proceeds are donated to the library, and books to be sold are donated by the community, friends, faculty and professors year round, Sakrison said.

Samuel T. Huang, assistant dean for the library's external relations, worked with "Friends" to organize the sale and said he expects 500 to 600 people to visit the store.

Huang said he spent the last few days moving boxes and sorting books, and appreciates the volunteers who have helped make the book sale possible.

"We wouldn't have been able to do all this without them. We work as a team," Huang said.

Huang also contacted Garrett Bennett, a member of the coed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, to recruit additional volunteers.

Bennett, a retailing and consumer sciences junior, said he and 15 other members of APO helped move boxes containing books from the Main Library to El Con Mall last weekend.

"They helped us, even in the pouring rain. They did a wonderful job. They deserve a big, big prize!" Huang said.

The book sale was first held 10 years ago and has been an annual event since. Originally located in the main library, the book sale soon outgrew the space capacity and was moved to El Con Mall, Sakrison said.

Susan Allen, employee of the Allen and Associates marketing firm associated with the mall, said this is the third year the mall has donated space to the "Friends" group.

"They do it because it's a local ownership, therefore they are interested in supporting the UA and (Tucson) community," Allen said.

The donated space is already equipped with bookshelves, which were leftover from a former bookstore in its place.