The Calgary Reads Big Book Sale returns this spring, and before the shopping begins, organizers are looking for Calgarians to clear their shelves. Book donations are being accepted from April 24 to May 3 at the Calgary Curling Club, with four community drop-off events also happening on April 26 and 27. The sale itself opens May 8, with nearly 200,000 books expected across almost 200 tables.

Now in its 22nd year, the sale is organized by the Rotary Club of Calgary Downtown and raises money for early childhood literacy initiatives. Last year, it raised $544,000, with proceeds going to programs like the Calgary Public Library Foundation's My First Bookshelf and the University of Calgary's Book Bank, which distributed more than 36,000 books to children in 2025.

The literacy stakes are real. Organizers cite estimates that about 25 per cent of Alberta kindergarteners have minimal to emerging literacy skills, and only a quarter of children are reading at grade level by the end of Grade 3.

For shoppers, most books are priced between $2 and $4, with categories ranging from Canadian fiction and travel to graphic novels, true crime, and a dedicated table of books by Calgary authors. Appointments are required for the first three days of the sale; after that, it's open to everyone through May 17.