Book lovers line up at sale

The musty smell of used books wafted through the HUB Ballroom Saturday morning -- or maybe it was just the smell of excitement from people waiting for the American Association of University Women used book sale to begin.

Book lovers lined up as early as 4 a.m. to get first pick of more than 100,000 used books, records and maps at the 37th annual sale.

The line of customers, some clutching empty cardboard boxes to carry their finds, wrapped around the first floor of the HUB, stretched to the doors by the information desk, then doubled up and extended around the fishbowl again.

The first person in line was Rick Sawyer of Augusta, Maine, an antiques dealer who specializes in books.

Sawyer arrived in the HUB Parking Deck at 6 p.m. Friday and entered the HUB at 3:30 a.m., he said, but no one was there yet.

He was on the lookout for books about art, antiques and collectibles, decorator books with nice covers and bindings and books on hobbies such as magic or fishing, he said.

"We're looking to buy books at the right price so we can sell it later on," Sawyer said.

Students were also among the early risers in line Saturday morning.

Collectibles and literature were two groups of items that Michele Nagy (senior-English) was searching for at the sale.

"I like to check out the literature because I'm an English major," she said.

This is the third year Nagy has attended the sale. Last year she bought a copy of the first edition of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.

When the doors finally opened just before 9 a.m., the scene changed from waiting to searching frantically for the perfect find.

Customers flipped through piles of books, pausing only to claim certain titles that caught their attention. Some carefully leafed through books they were interested in, while others recognized the perfect book only by its cover.

Jeff Matus, Class of 1992, waited in line since 5 a.m. carrying a cardboard box.

Matus, who is from Dallas, Pa., said he comes to the sale every year, but was not looking for any specific type of book.

"You never know what you're going to find," he said. "That's the appeal of it."

The AAUW used book sale continues from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Wednesday, in the HUB Fishbowl and Ballroom.