Michelle Yamaguchi examined the titles of childrens' books stacked along rows and rows of tables looking for inspiration for her son.

Maybe he'd like to read comic books. Maybe sports. Maybe nonfiction.

All the genres were present yesterday on the second day of the 62nd Annual Friends of the Library of Hawai'i book sale at McKinley High School's cafeteria. The sale, which benefits the state's 51 public libraries, runs through Sunday.

"I don't like to read," said Dawson Yamaguchi of Kaimuki as his mother offered up title after title.

Yamaguchi took away her children's video games to encourage more summer reading.

She was one of thousands who browsed in the cafeteria and lanai in search of inspiration, or a new-found friend. More than 130,000 titles are being sold during the week.

Some customers, like Sue Harris of 'Ewa Beach, approached their shopping foray with a plan. Each year she goes at the start of the sale and again at the end to pick up books at lower than bargain-basement prices.

"I come every year," Harris said. "I love to read and it's cheaper than buying new books."

Yesterday she was on the hunt for old Asian books and first-edition books. With her arms filled with purchases, Harris said she plans to come back this weekend.

"Our whole family comes and we come twice when the books are cheap then," Harris said. "It's so much fun and you never know what you can find."

In addition to the rows and rows of mysteries, art books and military books, the sale featured a dictionary of swear words and a signed copy of one of Joseph Heller's works — all for a couple dollars each.

Proceeds from the sale go to help the libraries by funding scholarships for librarians, bringing in entertainment, paying for the annual summer reading program and to buy new books. On the first day of the sale, the Friends of the Library brought in $50,000, a record for the first day, said Byrde Cestare, the group's executive director. That represented about $12 per person yesterday.

Last year, the friends grossed $200,000, Cestare said. The money is necessary as the state budget for libraries continues to shrink and the librarians rely on donations from the friends' group to help fill bookshelves.

The group collects the books for this sale all year long, Cestare said. It takes about 320 volunteers to run the weeklong event, said Nobu Kiwada, co-chairman of the book sale.

"This is what we can accommodate in a weeklong sale," Cestare said. "And we're hoping that with the economy the way it is, we'll bring in a lot of people who are looking for bargains or want to start their Christmas shopping in June."