When: Saturday, October 22 — 11 a.m. to 4. p.m.
Where: RBR — The New Center for Creative Arts
Moto Azabu 1-5-15
Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0046

Download printable flyer (PDF)

In order both to maximize the proceeds of the sale and to help people unload unwanted items, the scope of this year’s sale will be slightly broader than that of past sales, so as to include, in addition to books and magazines, the following: videos, DVDs, CDs, cassettes, CD-ROMs containing computer software (no blank discs or discs containing data of former owner, please), and any other media-related items (e.g., kanji cards) that likely would be of interest to browsers.

Prices for items to be sold are planned to be as follows:

Books and Other Printed Materials

• Mass-market paperbacks:  ¥200 each (or 3 for ¥500 or 8 for ¥1,000)
• Trade (better-quality) paperbacks:  ¥300 each (or 2 for ¥500 or 5 for ¥1,000)
• Hardbacks:  ¥500 each (or 2 for ¥800 or 5 for ¥1,500)
• Children’s books:  small paperbacks, ¥100;  large paperbacks ¥200 each (or 3 for ¥500 or 8 for ¥1,000);  hardbacks, ¥300 each (or 2 for ¥500 or for 5 for ¥1,000)
• Academic journals and specialty magazines:  ¥50 each (or 3 for ¥100)

Other Items

• Videos: ¥200 each or 3 for ¥500 or 8 for ¥1,000
• DVDs: ¥500 each
• CDs: ¥200 each or 3 for ¥500 or 8 for ¥1,000
• Cassettes (if any):  ¥100 each or 8 for ¥500
• CD-ROMs (if any): To be individually priced (in consideration of the great variation in retail prices of and demand for computer software, but at bargain rates and most likely in the range of ¥100–¥1,000 each, depending on the specific software and how current it is.
• Other items (if any): To be individually priced, but at bargain rates.

For the sale to be a success, the following are needed:

1. DONATIONS of books and other items, as listed above
From now until October 22, please send or bring books and other items to “SWET BOOK FAIR c/o RBR Center for Creative Arts” at the address given above.

• Books (including audio books), magazines, and other printed materials should be in English, or be bilingual in English and another language, preferably Japanese;
  All books and other printed materials should be in fair-to-excellent condition, and definitely in good enough condition to be attractive to potential buyers (i.e., no books that are falling apart, without covers, with excessive marking, or otherwise obviously junk and undesirable)
• Videos and DVDs should be in English (subtitles in Japanese or other languages are okay).
• CD-ROMs should contain only computer software (i.e., no blank discs or discs containing data input by a former owner) and should be in English and/or Japanese only.

2. VOLUNTEER WORKERS
As with past SWET Book Fairs, the success of this year’s event will depend on the volunteer efforts of many people. I therefore ask that each of you please consider immediately making a formal commitment to assist in this project with regard to one of more of the following.

a. Pre-Sale Day Preparations
(1) Printing, mailing, and in-person distribution of flyers requesting donations and announcing the sale

b. Sale-Day Set-Up (9 a.m. – 11 a.m.)
In addition to Naomi Otani and myself, eight (8) people to help with such tasks as:
(1) Moving tables from other rooms into the sale room, and then arranging the tables according to a layout plan that will be provided
(2) Moving boxes of books from on-site storage area(s) to the sale room
(3) Unpacking the boxes and putting the books and other items on appropriate tables according to subject area
(5) Posting subject-area signs and the like
(6) Neatly arranging empty boxes so that they can be used either by book-buyers or for repacking at the end of the sale

c. Sale-Time (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
(1) Working at the check-out table
(2) Unpacking, counting, and putting on display any books and other items that are brought to the sale
(3) Working at the refreshments table (if refreshments are sold)
(4) Assisting browsers in finding books or other items that they want

d. Post-Sale Time (4 p.m. – 5 p.m.)
(1) Removing unsold items from tables and packing them into boxes
(2) Moving tables from the sale room back to the other rooms from which they were taken
(3) Removing trash from the sale room and cleaning the room so that its condition is at least as good as when set-up began in the morning.

3. BAGS for use by purchasers
Bags will be needed for purchasers to take whatever items they buy. Both plastic and paper bags would be acceptable, but please send or bring only bags that are clean and sturdy.

While at the Book Fair, check out the various programs offered by RBR, and take time to enjoy the art that will be on display. RBR personnel will be on hand to answer questions.

If you have any question(s) about the SWET Book Fair, or if you are willing to assist in one or more ways, please contact Naomi Otani (tel./fax: 042-943-5956) or Phil Ouellet (fax: 03-3323-5764) or use this form to contact them via email.