Homecomings

This is my fifth Homecoming at Roberts. As usual, we are doing a booksale and have been accepting donations. We use the money to preserve our older materials that are unique but a bit on the fragile side. It takes us the better part of 2 hours to set up the tables and put the books out on the patio.

Of course, people have been sorting inside for the past week. Books sell so much better when they are group by topics. We have, as you might suspect, a lot of religion and theology books and a whole table of education materials. There are some craft type books, other subject books, and some coffee table kinds of books. We even have LPs this year, though we are sadly lacking in children's books which are always the best sellers.

I am lucky to be able to see the parade going by on Westside Drive. During the opening activities we have a few customers, but no crowds. That comes right after the parade while Bobby's Bazaar is happening - tents filled with crafts of all sorts, food being grilled and silent auctions taking place. Now we have lots of book lookers.

One of the tables we have every year is the free table. I refuse to sell the Bible and we put any donated Bibles on the free table. We often get browsers, but don't always find homes for all the Bibles. This year there is much interest in the Bible table, and even though we have more than normal, almost all of them find a new owner. That is encouraging.

Faculty browse and set aside stacks of books. Alumni scoop up textbooks. Current students find presents to give at Christmas. Its so much fun watching how people make their choices, weigh their options, put back what they reconsider, and finally what makes it in their carry off bag.

We did a brisk business - the day was perfect weatherwise to encourage browsing in the warm sun. I had to retreat to the reference desk before the sale ended, but others kept it hopping until the crowds died away. Then we brought the remainder in on carts and left the sale going inside for those last few shoppers.

Great day. Enlightening conversations. Happy exchange of books. I like this event.