Hurt Book Sale offers discounted publications

Most damaged items are destined for the garbage, or at very least the back of the shelf. However, the University of Nebraska Press puts their "hurt books" on the front shelf — at least two times a year.
The Friends of UNP will host their semi-annual Hurt Book Sale at the Press warehouse on R Street between 8th and 9th streets in the Haymarket today and Friday.
"A hurt book is a book that comes back to the publisher that is unsellable in a store," said Erika Kuebler Rippeteau, UNP's grant and development specialist. "We decided we would like to offer them to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln community."
Today's sale is specifically for UNL students, staff and faculty, but tomorrow it will be open to the public.
Authors from the Press's repertoire include Willa Cather, Mari Sandoz, John G. Neihardt, Wright Morris, Ted Kooser and Bill Kloefkorn.
Rippeteau said the Press is best known for publishing works in indigenous studies history and literature of the American West, literary translation and sports history.
They have also been the publisher of the Nobel Prize winner in literature for the past two years.
"We are also interested in publishing creative original work that might not get picked up by a commercial press," Rippeteau said. "We are non-profit, so we are able to publish the great work that we find that might not get picked up elsewhere."
Nebraska Press books are sold everywhere, but in order to accomplish publishing 160 new and reprint titles each year, as well as scholarly journals, the Press depends on fundraisers, such as this book sale.
"We buy the hurt books from the Press and turn around and sell them and then turn that profit over to the press, so they can use it in anyway they want to," said James Hewitt, president of the UNP Friends group.
The friends group is made up of authors, such as Hewitt, who have been published by the Press and others who understand their mission.
"It is a tough financial time, and we want to do what we can to support it," Hewitt said.
Especially with university budget cuts, the Press is feeling the strain of the economy.
"There are things that the press wants to do that they have done in the past that they can't do again this year," Hewitt said.
Hewitt said the Hurt Book Sale is a great deal as far as students are concerned. Paperback books are $2 and hardcovers are $4, or $12 to fill a bag full of UNP originals.
"And it helps (UNP) do a great job as far as the press is concerned, so it is kind of a win-win situation."