Meet the KSU “Book Stars”

Are you an alumnus of KSU? The next networking event is July 25.

Every month the KSU Alumni Association hosts an alumni event for former students who’d like to reconnect. The July event is a special event that will include the ability to have one of your most precious books looked at by the experts of the Sturgis Library, Dr. Robert Williams, a life-long book expert and Tamara Livingston, Associate Director of the Museums, Archives, Rare Books and Records Management.

The Kennesaw State University Sturgis Library is the home of more than textbooks, academic research tomes and expert librarians. It also includes the Bentley Rare Book Gallery and a wonderful group of book experts who’ve spent many years collecting some of the very best books on the planet.

In order to participate, please RSVP to Jennifer Coleman, of the KSU Alumni Affairs offices at 678-797-2230. If you are an alumnus and want to have your book evaluated, please leave the title of your book and the year, while making a reservation for one of the 10 minute slots to have your book be seen by the book experts. According to Ms. Livingston, each participant in the Collectible Books Roadshow event will receive a certificate of value.

Before reserving a spot to have your precious book evaluated, consider the Six Rules of Collectible Books:

1. Much like real estate, the value of a book lies in three things: condition, condition, condition.
2. Books are more valuable with their original, undamaged book jackets.
3. If there is an author signature inside the book it can add value (depending upon the author’s name).
4. If the book is inscribed, i.e. “For Sally on the occasion of her 13^th birthday, Love, Mom, June 13, 1921,” it may add value to the book.
5. And if there’s a market demand for this particular book.
6. First editions are better.

Dr. Robert Williams said, “Old doesn’t necessarily mean valuable.” He says he sees a lot old books and a lot of them have tremendous sentimental value to the owner, for example, a family Bible with the names of each of the family member’s names inscribed in the front, but it may not have very much market value. Especially with Bibles there have been millions of copies printed over the past two thousand years.

There are a limited number of spots for having your rare book evaluated, so please reserve them with Jennifer Coleman early. There are many more spots available for alumni networking, so please RSVP your attendance separately. For more information on the KSU Alumni Association and its events, please check out the website: http://community.kennesaw.edu/.

Lisa Duke, Director of Alumni Affairs at Kennesaw State University, said, “The Collectible Book Roadshow is a wonderful example of how alumni can maximize their time. Join us and network with fellow alumni while also getting a treasured family heirloom (or that junk sale find!) valued. In all we do, the KSU Alumni Association works diligently to make the WIFM for our alumni easily apparent and packed with value.”