Dothan's Biggest-Ever Big Book Sale Opens This Week

Friends of the Library to host over 1,000 boxes of books, DVDs, CDs, and more at the Westgate Recreation Center.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 7:50pm

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A highly stylized, silkscreen-inspired illustration featuring a repeating grid of vintage hardcover books in a palette of neon pink, electric blue, and highlighter yellow, conceptually representing the wide variety of literary treasures available at the Big Book Sale.The vibrant colors and bold graphic style of this pop art illustration capture the energy and excitement of Dothan's massive annual book sale, a beloved community tradition.Dothan Today

The Friends of the Dothan Houston County Library System are hosting their largest-ever Big Book Sale, with over 1,027 boxes of books, DVDs, CDs, vinyl records, and more items set to be sold at the Westgate Recreation Center gym in Dothan, Alabama. The sale runs from April 10-19, with a members-only preview on April 9.

Why it matters

The Big Book Sale is a major annual fundraiser for the Dothan Houston County Library System, with proceeds going towards new books, e-books, audiobooks, and other library resources and improvements. The expanded scale of this year's sale reflects growing community interest and support for the local library.

The details

The Big Book Sale will feature over 1,027 boxes of items, a significant increase from the 800 boxes at last year's sale. Items will be sorted by category to make browsing easier, with fiction organized by author and nonfiction grouped into topics like history, cookbooks, and poetry. Prices start at $2 for hardcovers, $1 for paperbacks, 50 cents for children's books, and $1 each for DVDs, CDs, and audiobooks. Shoppers can also fill a paper grocery bag for $20.

  • The members-only preview is on Thursday, April 9 from 4-7 p.m.
  • The public sale runs from Friday, April 10 to Sunday, April 19.
  • Discounts increase as the sale continues, with items half price April 15-16, 25 cents April 17-18, and free on April 19.

The players

Friends of the Dothan Houston County Library System

A nonprofit organization that supports the Dothan Houston County Library System through fundraising and advocacy.

Everlie Bolton

The president of the Friends of the Library, who is overseeing the organization of the Big Book Sale.

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What they’re saying

“We have 1,027 boxes of books, plus more. In the last book sale, we had around 800 boxes, so it's significantly more books than we've ever had before.”

— Everlie Bolton, President, Friends of the Library

“Every dollar helps our library system. In January, we gave the library a gift of $78,200 — one dollar, two dollars, five dollars at a time.”

— Everlie Bolton, President, Friends of the Library

What’s next

The Friends of the Library are encouraging the public to attend the sale, especially on less crowded days like Monday or Tuesday, to get the best selection. They also suggest arriving early on clearance days to get the first pick of discounted items.

The takeaway

The expanded scale of this year's Big Book Sale reflects the strong community support for the Dothan Houston County Library System, with proceeds from the sale going towards new books, e-books, audiobooks, and other vital library resources and improvements.