Muses stack growing collection to support Centenary students
Some 10,000 book-lovers, collectors and experts will converge at the Centenary Gold Dome Sept. 6-7, hoping to unearth hidden literary treasures at Shreveport-Bossier City’s Holy Grail of book sales – the Centenary Book Bazaar.
Organized by the Muses, a philanthropic group dedicated to funding projects and programs for Centenary students, the Book Bazaar has grown from collecting 4,000 books in its first year to processing 80,000 books this, its 27th year.
Dena Pruett, director of strategic communication, said original Muse member Marilee Harter brought the concept to Centenary after seeing a similar event in Baton Rouge.
“The Centenary Muses inaugurated the annual Friends of Centenary Book Bazaar in the fall of 1987, holding the first bazaars in Mall St. Vincent,” she said. “Their original and continuing purpose is to improve student life with all of the bazaar proceeds supporting student-initiated projects.“ Last year, some 70,000 books were sold, supporting a number of student projects. And the Centenary Muses wasted no time in getting to work on this year. In fact, the Muses work year-round two days per week at the Book House on East Kings Highway (across from George’s Grill) to ensure the success of each year’s event.
Out of the 40 Muse members, nine volunteers serve on the book bazaar committee, receiving donations from individuals, libraries and estates, processing and pricing books, and recruiting volunteers.
“Most of the committee members have been teachers or librarians so everyone who’s on the committee is a book-lover,” Grace Bareikis, a committee member, said. “Books are donated throughout the year, which means it’s Christmas for us all the time!” And when it’s bazaar season, all Muse members lend a hand as do some 200 volunteers from the community. These volunteers work a full week before the event to organize and arrange the books, which are separated into 50-plus categories.
The bazaar features a wide variety of books ranging from vintage children’s books published before 1962, vintage sciencefiction books, to books found on local middle and high school reading lists. “This year, we also have a beautiful collection of more than 1,000 Bibles,” Bareikis said.
A few rare items are sold to the highest bidder in a silent auction. This year, that auction will include a 1940s edition of Raymond Chandler’s Lady of the Lake, and a four-volume biography of Robert E. Lee written by Douglas Southall Freeman.
Retired Caddo Parish high school librarian Zoe Ramsey joined the bazaar committee 20 years ago when there were only two committee members. She enjoys her assignment of working on the Louisiana collection, which consists of 500 books. “This collection used to be part of the Southern Collection,” she said. “But now, we have a separate section for Louisiana books, which range from Civil War history books to cookbooks.”
Once the bazaar is over, the Muses issue a call to students, faculty and staff to submit proposals, which are discussed and voted on by the organization. Last year, the Muses helped students equip the Gold Dome with WiFi, renovate the student center, purchase cameras for the art department and repair recreational equipment in the Student Union Building. They also made donations to the Student Research Forum and the Student Travel Fund.
WANT TO GO?
The Centenary Book Bazaar is Sept. 6-7 in the Centenary Gold Dome across from Centenary College on East Kings Highway. Hours are: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 6 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 7. More information is available at: www.centenary.edu/ or search Facebook for the Centenary College Book Bazaar page.
Insider tip: The more adventurous buyers start lining up as early as 3 p.m. on Friday waiting for the doors to open.
– Jeff Slaughter
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