Since 1961, the Planned Parenthood Book Sale in Des Moines has been a major fundraiser supporting the work of Planned Parenthood educators as they provide accurate, fact-based and comprehensive sex education to people across the state.
“Proceeds from last year helped Planned Parenthood educators host 461 programs that reached 15,563 teens, adults, parents, and families in Iowa,” according to the book sale’s site.
But the next event, scheduled for Oct. 12-16 at the 4-H Building on the Iowa State Fairgrounds, will be the last one.
“The decision to end the Planned Parenthood Book Sale was not done lightly,” a statement posted Monday on Planned Parenthood Book Sale site said. “The city [of Des Moines] is taking our current book sale warehouse by eminent domain for the 2nd Avenue Corridor Project. After a thorough analysis, we found that continuing with the Book Sale in a new warehouse location would generate less revenue for Iowa education programs than if we were to put the money from the eminent domain sale into an endowed fund.”
Responding to questions from reporters, the city issued a statement denying it had used eminent domain.
“The City of Des Moines and Planned Parenthood reached a voluntary agreement to purchase the Clark Street Book Deposit property for fair market value and relocation fees earlier this spring. The City has already paid Planned Parenthood a portion of the relocation fees. The 2nd Ave Corridor Project planned for this area will make improvements to Clark Street and provide increased safety for all using the roadway.”
The statement did not address whether the city was planning to use eminent domain to acquire the property as part of its major infrastructure project in the area if Planned Parenthood did not agree to sell.
In a statement issued Monday, Planned Parenthood North Central States President and CEO Ruth Richardson said the end of the six-decade-old sale comes with “very mixed emotion.”
“I know this book sale means so much to so many people who have cherished memories of picking through rows of books, and the joy of finding a hidden gem,” Richardson said. “We are profoundly grateful for the passion in this community and especially the commitment that hundreds of volunteers have brought to the event and our mission … We also know that the powerful legacy of the Planned Parenthood Book Sale will live on through an endowment that will continue to provide the opportunity to invest in comprehensive sex education and prioritize our resources to positively impact Iowa for years to come.”
The Planned Parenthood Book Sale is still looking for volunteers to help with its final sale. Information about volunteering is available online.
This story originally appeared in LV Daily, Little Village’s Monday-Friday email newsletter. Sign up to have it delivered for free to your inbox.
