The Friends of the El Cerrito Library stepped it up a notch Saturday, adding food, music, and children's activities to its already popular annual fall book sale.

Jasper Patch of Well Grounded was already on hand sellling refreshments as dozens lined up in the parking lot for the 9 a.m. start of the sale.

Shoppers soon descended on the outdoor book displays and packed the portion of the sale that stretches into a narrow section in the basement of the library.

Many arrived with cloth bags and left loaded down with dozens of books that together cost less than a single new hardback.

New also this year for the first day of the sale was live music, provided by Mike and Jan James, and an area for children, where young visitors picked up colorful balloons and played games before wandering back to meander among the books themselves.

The already shopper-friendly prices get even better during the half-price shopping today, Sunday, from noon to 4, and next Saturday's $3-a-bag sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Today and next Saturday will feature books only, not the brunch, music and kids' activities.

In addition to bargains and an opportunity to help the library, the sale features a wide variety of well-sorted used books — including fiction,  cookbooks and children's books, as well as volumes on art, crafts, travel, history, humor, science and math. Also on sale were other items such videos and maps.