Call to Action for Ken Sanders Rare Books

Ken Sanders has been buying and selling rare books for more than fifty years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has put his Salt Lake City book shop in jeopardy and so he is reaching out to his supporters for financial help. A GoFundMe page that launched last week has already surpassed $100,000 of its $250,000 goal. It’s heartening to see that the list of donors is filled with fellow booksellers, a sure sign of the esteem in which Ken is held in the trade. (Says one bookseller: “Ken needs help—that’s all I need to know.”)

For those who don’t know, Ken Sanders Rare Books carries new, used, and rare books and specializes in Utah, Mormon, Native American, and Western history. Ken has always been passionate about alternative voices, and his store has hosted thousands of literary events. Plus, speaking from personal experience, he is just a really nice human.   

In the short video posted below, Ken’s friends explain why it’s important to donate now. Author Terry Tempest Williams says, “Ken needs our help in the ways that Ken has always helped us. Whether it’s placing a beloved book in our hands, [or] whether it’s listening to him as a raconteur talking about stories of our literary history.”