The University of Notre Dame Press set a sales record with its 2023 annual Book Festival and Dirty Book Sale, held Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 14 and 15. Over the course of the two-day event, hundreds of students, faculty and community members came through the Hesburgh Library concourse to peruse and purchase more than $11,000 worth of Notre Dame Press titles. As one grad student put it, “You have so many good books here, it’s borderline problematic.”
The “$55 Special” — one price for all the books that could fit into a Notre Dame Press canvas tote — was a crowd favorite, as customers worked diligently to squeeze in as many books as possible. The free educational events that were part of the Book Festival drew enthusiastic audiences, with the largest event being the conversation between Notre Dame Press authors Rev. Thomas Blantz, C.S.C., professor emeritus of history, and Rev. Monk Malloy, C.S.C., former Notre Dame president, about their combined 130-plus years of experience at the University.
If you missed this year’s sale, don’t despair: It’s an annual event, so make plans to attend the Book Festival and Dirty Book Sale in 2024.