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Realities of Foreign Service Life Vol. 1

Realities of Foreign Service Life Vol. 2

Realities of Foreign Service Life, Volumes 1 and 2: Writers from the Foreign Service community share their first-hand experiences and insights through essays on Foreign Service life. A great gift for newcomers or veterans of the Foreign Service and especially useful for anyone considering a Foreign Service career! Read more about Realities of Foreign Service Life here and order your copy!

 

AAFSW Community Services

Bookroom/Bookfair

Bookfair takes place every October in the courtyards of the State Department (now the Harry S. Truman building). Thousands of used books, art objects, collectibles, stamps and coins are available. Admission is free, and the public is invited on weekends. Books are half price on the last day. Proceeds from Bookfair benefit scholarship programs and other Foriegn Service projects. Visa and Mastercard are accepted.

Bookplace, where second hand books are sold, is located in Foggy Bottom right by the doors which go out to the Garage. To find Bookplace, walk down the steps from the Old Cafeteria to Foggy Bottom. At the bottom of the steps, turn left and walk towards Bank of America. Before entering the Bank, turn left and walk past the FARA Video Store towards the exit into the Garage. Bookplace will be on your left by the exit doors

Bookroom, a second location, is where books are now sorted and processed for sale either in Bookplace or at Bookfair. It is located in the Basement on the other side of the Garage from Bookplace. The room number is #B 816. It is staffed by a paid Book Room Manager whose job it is to run the Book Room and to pick up donations of books and art objects from all over the Washington area. The books are sorted, priced and shelved with the assistance of volunteers. State Department employees often browse and purchase books during the lunch hour.

Bookroom is essential to Bookfair. The Bookroom staff collects all of the books that are sold at Bookfair. As there are well over a ton, this is a major undertaking. We always need sufficient volunteers to handle publicity, price the books, man the cash registers during Bookfair, help with logistics, provide refreshment for all the volunteers, solicit contributions for the Art Corner and the Collectors' Corner and prepare posters, signs and layout maps.

The proceeds from Bookroom and Bookfair go to a number of worthy causes--scholarships for Foreign Service students, continuing education scholarships for spouses, Foreign Service projects such as the Foreign Service Youth Foundation and other community projects. Over the years, the AAFSW has given away over a million dollars.

For more information contact the AAFSW Book Room at 202-223-5796 or email bookroom@aafsw.org.