The Friends of the LSU Libraries is kicking off its 2010 Book Bazaar, a large-scale sale of more than 60,000 books.The Book Bazaar, opening today, is an annual sale that has been held for about 35 years. Profits from the three-day sale benefit LSU Libraries, said Anne West, Book Bazaar chairperson. The profits are put into an endowment fund that has reached about $1.5 million, West said.”The interest from the endowment is used to purchase things for the libraries wherever the need is greatest,” West said.West said she is passionate about the bazaar because the libraries’ well-being benefits the entire University.”I totally believe what makes a great University is a great library,” she said. “It can be supportive of the city, state and the whole region.”The bazaar is a huge fundraiser for the Friends of the LSU Libraries. Last year’s bazaar raised $63,000, said Madeline Mocan, Book Bazaar publicity coordinator.To raise that much money, the Book Bazaar offers a large collection of books which have been donated to the LSU Book Barn during the last year. The books are organized into specific categories, like history, literature, textbooks and fiction.”It’s not dissimilar to what you’d find if you went to Barnes & Noble or Borders,” Mocan said.The bazaar sells as many of the books as possible, and the remaining are then sold in bulk to a book wholesaler. Friends of LSU Libraries makes money on every book donated to them, Mocan said.Pamela Downing, a volunteer at the bazaar, said she appreciates that no books go to waste.”When you have a really good book, it’s too good to be thrown away,” she said.In addition to the 60,000 books, this year the bazaar is also selling more than 1,000 vinyl records, most of which are priced at $1, Mocan said.”A big bulk is classical, but there’s also jazz and ’60s and ’70s rock,” Mocan said. “Surely a lot is worth more than we know. It’s a chance for people to get some real finds.”Volunteer Eve Voigt said she is especially excited about an 84-record set of the complete works of Beethoven, which is priced at $100.Volunteers did their best to offer only records of the best quality at the bazaar, Voigt said.”We have examined every record for cracks and scratches,” Voigt said. “We had some that were warped, so we got rid of those.”The bazaar’s volunteers agree their passion for books and the University’s libraries are what makes their work at the sale gratifying.Jan Martin, Chancellor Michael Martin’s wife, volunteers at the Book Barn once a week and will work at the bazaar this year. Martin said she enjoys the camaraderie that she has found with her fellow volunteers.”It’s a social thing,” Martin said. “We get to know each other, and you get great book reviews. It’s better than belonging to a book club.”West said the bazaar is a nationwide draw, bringing people from Texas, Florida and New Mexico to get bargains on rare books.The bazaar is held in the 4-H Mini-Farm and Nelson Memorial Building, both located behind Parker Coliseum, and it is open today and Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.–Contact Ryan Buxton at [email protected]