AAUW Giant Book Sale Opens With Crowds, Continues Through Fri. and Sat.

Some people just love a good book.

Actually, a lot of people do — hundreds of readers, as well as book dealers, students and others in search of volumes, CDs and other sources of information and entertainment at bargain prices. 

As is always the case, this year's giant used book sale as presented by the Somerset Hills branch of the American Association of University Women kicked off the first day Thursday with readers lined up at the door of the Bernardsville Middle School waiting to get a first look.

The three day sale, which began at noon Thursday, is scheduled to continue from noon to 8 p.m. on Friday, and from from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the school off Seney Drive.

The sale — which depends entirely on donated volumes that always bring in some surprising finds — completely fills the cafeteria of the middle school in Bernardsville. 

Bonnie Gould of Basking Ridge, chair of the sale, said that 125 people had been issued numbers to enter when doors opened.

Even though the crowds had thinned a bit by mid afternoon, parking lots surrounding the building were completely filled, and shoppers left carrying bags of books.

Book prices will remain the same as last year, according to information on the Somerset Hills AAUW website. Books, both hardback and paperback, in the main room will be sold at $1, except for some of the smaller children’s books that will be sold at 50 cents.

On the first day, Thursday, there was be a 25 percent added premium on books in the main room. Rare and choice books in the separate room managed by Beryl Hunter are priced individually.  

Hunter pointed out a real find that had come in from an unknown donor, and had been priced at $250 because of its rarity — a 1711 volume from Milton's "Paradise Lost."

If the book is not sold, it will be kept for another sale, or else sold online to raise money, Hunter said.

The sale benefits the AAUW's scholarship programs, area libraries and other charities.

Other than unexpected donations — which this year also included a 1943 primer in the Hawaiian language — the most amazing thing about the sale is that nearly all the books have been divided into subject categories and put in alphabetical order by volunteers.

Scott Thomas of Bernardsville, who this fall will be entering the Delbarton School in Morristown as a freshman, said he had been at the sale for about five minutes, and already had found two books he needed for school.

His mother, Louise Thomas, said that each year the family donates books — then attends the sale to buy more.

Arya Vaseghi of Basking Ridge, a student at Rutgers University, said this was his first time at the sale, and he was pleased to have found a variety of classics.

"I think it's good," Vaseghi said. "It's all very cheap," he added.

Not everyone was at the book sale because they were looking to read, or even to listen to music on CDs.

Bradley Hunter of Basking Ridge, Beryl's husband, had been appropriated to help out at the sale while his wife managed the Choice books.

Hunter was really interested in a luscious display of chocolate icing and cake on a cookbook, "Martha Stewart's Cupcakes." 

The Somerset County 4-H Fair in Bridgewater also continues with a full day on Friday.