Where the Stories Find You: The Victoria College Book Sale

^{The 2025 Vic Book Sale runs Sept. 18–22 at Old Vic, 91 Charles St. W. (Photos by Neil Gaikwad)}

By Samantha Chater

Lists in hand, bags at the ready, readers lined up around the block Thursday for the Victoria College Book Sale at Victoria Chapel, chasing the thrill of discovery among thousands of books. Made possible by the Friends of Victoria University Library, who begin accepting donations for next year as early as the month after the sale, the event has become a campus tradition that brings together alumni, students, faculty and book lovers from across the city. The joy lies as much in the hunt as in the books themselves. The sale runs from Sept. 18 to 22, 2025. 

Attendees shared what keeps them coming back—and what they hope to find this year: 

One of the first in line was Midnight Mass Books owner Matt Finner: “I got here around 10:30—a friend was holding my spot from 8 a.m.,” he said. “I’ve been coming for about six years, usually looking for poetry, fiction and photography books. Last year, I found a signed Kathy Acker first edition, which was a real surprise.” 

Among the longest-serving attendees is Michael Vincent, who first came in the 1970s: “I studied engineering at U of T but belonged to Vic for my humanities courses, so the connection runs deep. Years ago, I came across the ‘Big Little,’ the large Latin dictionary by Mr. Little and I’ve never forgotten that find.”

Agata first heard about the sale while volunteering at U of T’s Robarts Library bookstore: “I’ve lined up on the first day for 15 or 16 years. At first, I came on the second or third day, but I quickly learned the first day is best. You always see the same faces in line, no matter the weather, and it’s fun and exciting every time. I once found the first Canadian edition of an Agatha Christie novel for a great price.” 

For Amy Lavender Harris, the sale is steeped in memory: “I first came as a grad student in the late ’90s and now line up whenever I can. I love the smell of books, the treasures room and the chance to find quirky things. Over the years, I’ve picked up everything from Toronto histories to old domestic manuals and cookbooks, which remain my favourite discoveries.” 

This was only Saoirse Morrin’s second year at the sale, but his first experience left a lasting impression: “I’ve only been once before, but I was hooked right away. I’m an English student at U of T and a Blu-ray collector. Last time I found Criterion titles, including Hoop Dreams, which I probably wouldn’t have watched otherwise—and it turned out to be a great film.”