On Saturday, August 11, 2012, Marion Music hall played host to the annual used book sale organized by the Elizabeth Tabor Library. The proceeds from the sale go to help fund the library and its programs.
“I’m not sure how many we have, but it’s a lot,” said Nita Howland, one of the organizers of the sale. “We have about 30 tables of books.”
There was ample representation from all the major literary genres, from fiction to poetry to mystery and travel. Howland said the books were all donations made to the library by Marion residents, which are stored and sorted in the basement of the building before each sale.
“The DPW helps, too. They actually bring the books here a day or two before the sale,” she said.
Books both famous and obscure lined the rows of tables in the main room of Music Hall. Many patrons brought their own bags and boxes to fill, while some perused for that one special book.
“I like travel books, nature books, and novels,” said Julia Crowley of Marion, who attends the sale every year and always finds something worth taking home.
“My dad and sister really love books, so they usually come here during the summer,” said Benjamin Sussman, who is from Laurel, Md. He and his family were visiting his grandfather, who lives on Front Street.
He was thumbing through a book about the Vanderbilt family and was planning on buying a hard-cover modern re-telling of a Chinese folk tale.
“This is my first time here on my own. It’s kind of like an antique sale, but it’s more interesting,” he said, as he sat on the floor with a stack of books by his side.
The stream of customers was steady all day, according to Howland, and she and her co-organizers have come to expect that from the sale.
“People really look forward to it every year. It’s a great way to recycle books and we have a lot of great readers in Marion,” she said.
By Eric Tripoli
