I have a book problem. This is actually a bigger problem for my carpenter husband. He builds bookshelves and I quickly fill them up. The first year we were married he built an oak bookcase for my birthday. I was so excited about it, I immediately filled it with books I’d kept stashed in my parents’ basement. He looked aghast at the number of volumes and mumbled that he didn’t know I owned that many. It probably didn’t help when I showed him my mythology text containing the story of Sisyphus.

In recent years, I’ve managed to gain control over my book collection. I only buy books as gifts and I’m very, very picky about bindings and covers. For our 15th anniversary, I received two more beautiful handmade book cases, made from a South American hardwood, with glass doors. One case contains all my signed copies of books from the various author visits the library has hosted over the years. The other case contains my English texts, hundred-year-old first editions and my collectible pop-up books. Anyone who says the print book is dead has never considered the artistic appeal of pop up books.

Still, I find myself combing stores like Powell’s for unique and hard to find items from time to time. A trip to Portland is fun, but not necessary. The Bellevue Friends of the Library will soon be hosting their own vintage and rare book sale in room No. 3 of the Bellevue Library. The sale runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 26- 27, and noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 28.

The books for sale have been donated by individuals and have been carefully collected and researched by Bellevue Friends volunteers throughout the year. There are over 1,500 volumes for sale and the collection spans titles from the early 1900s and even a few from the late 1800s. The topics range from art, poetry, biography, history, fiction and religion and include first editions and autographed copies. The books are priced 20-25 percent below online prices and the proceeds from this sale and all sales from the Corner Book Shop go toward funding programs for adults, teens and children at the Bellevue, Lake Hills and Crossroads libraries.

I’ll be there with a few book bags. I heard there were children’s books and my husband is talking about making a bookcase for my daughter.