A Whale of a Sale

The Friends of the Scarsdale Library has accepted thousands of books for the upcoming book sale slated to begin on Saturday September 6, with a special preview for the Friends on Friday night September 5. In fact, books are almost stacked to the ceiling in the Scott Room where scores of diligent volunteers are on hand sorting through novels, classics, cookbooks, historical texts, and even prayer books. Some of the books are quite valuable including a book of Chagall lithographs and signed copies of books by Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Miller and Aldous Huxley.

According to Kathy Steves, who is the librarian at Cardinal Spellman High School and directs the Scarsdale Library book sale each year, much to her surprise this year more books have been donated than in prior years. The books contain a trove of historical information about Scarsdale – and inside the books Steve and her staff have found some wonderful memorabilia. Steves has designated a special bin for items found under the covers of the books and showed me a typed letter from 1928, another note that said, "For the Greatest Horsemen Ever – from your friend Tonto" along with a sign that says "Beware of the Dog."

This year, volunteers range in age from teens to a woman in her nineties who comes everyday to help out. Moving the heavy boxes of books has not been easy; while I was there I heard a cry from a volunteer who said, "There's a logjam in Sociology" and asked for a strong young man to help to adjust the boxes.

The library will be accepting donations through Saturday August 23rd, with the sale to begin on September 6th and run through September 15th.