The Gloucester County Historical Society is hosting a book yard sale on September 21 and 22 to eliminate duplicates in their collections.
The Gloucester County Historical Society has been continually adding books to its collections since its founding in 1903 – so a clean-out is long overdue.
“When (local historians) die, they don’t just have 10 books, they have about 400 books,” said Hoag Levins, board member and chair of the historical society’s publications committee. “It’s very common for them to leave their entire collections to the Gloucester County Historical Society.”
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The historical society is holding a book sale on September 21 and 22. More than 1,500 books dating back to the mid-1800s will be offered for sale. The books for sale are all duplicates or not directly relevant to Gloucester County history.
The historical society, located at 17 Hunter Street in Woodbury, holds items dating back to the founding of Gloucester County in 1686. Until the 19th century, the county also included all of Camden and Atlantic counties, as well as half of Burlington County. That makes the historical society’s library one of the most comprehensive resources in the region, Levins said.
However, with so many resources comes a need for storage.
“Our shelves – every inch is crammed with books and other documents, and we’re at a point where we need to make room,” Levins said.
The books are priced individually from $2 to $25. Levins said some books, such as one about the sinking of the Titanic and another about the history of Little Egg Harbor Township, are usually worth more online, but the historical society is charging lower prices to make room.
The books cover topics ranging from local government history to military strategy and family genealogy to Glassboro’s past as a glassmaking center.
The Historical Society Museum is also open for free tours during book sales.
“You can come by and browse the books and buy some,” Levins said. “You can browse all the exhibits in our museum space and right across the street is Charlie Brown’s (Fresh Grill). You can have a nice lunch there and make a day of it.”
