Readers, Sellers Make Book on Turning Fair Into Success

The way H. Keith Burns sees it, he’s picking up where 15th-Century Europe left off.

“I think we’re sort of the heirs to the legacy of the book merchants who traveled the continent selling books,” said Burns, a coordinator of this weekend’s San Diego Book Fair. “Back in the 1470s, they used to gather in town halls, sell books and mingle with the townspeople. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Burns, of Los Angeles, is also helping to orchestrate the largest book fair ever to descend upon the city, a part exhibition, part seminar, part swap meet that will unite 100 book dealers from across the United States and Canada at the San Diego Convention Center today and Sunday. Authors, publishers and collectors will deliver lectures over the weekend.

Burns said the fair, sponsored by the California Book Fair Assn., will feature rare editions of the works of numerous literary legends, including a $17,000 first edition of James Joyce’s “Ulysses.”

Burns said would-be thieves have attempted to stroll away with some of the valuables at other fairs but were always foiled.

“We have guards posted around the fair. Security is very tight because there are some rare and expensive items here.”

Dealers and sponsors said they are hoping the rest of the city will decide to sample some of the 100,000 books, movie paraphernalia, maps and autographs that dealers have lugged in from as far away as Montreal.

“Nothing like this has ever hit San Diego,” said Sol Grossman, of Los Angeles, another fair coordinator who will also be purchasing and selling books. “The city has had, maybe, 70 dealers before, but never 100. And few (fairs) have been done as well as this one.”

But even Burns admitted that the Book Fair Assn. has bumped into occasional planning snafus.

“Sure, it gets confusing sometimes, what with all of the dealers and books,” he said. “But that’s part of the fun. You get to see what everybody else has.”

“This is an exciting way to get people to see what’s available,” said Gene Vinik, a 60-year-old dealer from Tucson, Ariz. “It’s not a money game; it’s something to enjoy.”

“It’s fun,” said Sam Bulat, who was setting up Friday evening with her husband, George, after traveling from northern California. “This is only the second book fair we’ve done, so we’re here to sell and to see how others do business. It’s like testing the waters.”

Grossman said fair sponsors are hoping to attract as many as 5,000 potential buyers. He praised the city for buttressing the association’s efforts to draw people.

“San Diego has gone out of its way to help make this book fair as successful as possible,” he said. “From the mayor on down, this city has tried to make us welcome.”

Though the fair will feature dealers hawking some high-priced books and collectibles, Burns said the association is also targeting rookie collectors.

“We really would like to get first-timers out,” he said. “We want people to begin to develop an interest in books and to start building their libraries. But the principle here is that the book sellers and collectors can gather together and share ideas. We’re all collectors.”