“We have more books than we have ever seen,” is the general consensus from Wilton Library’s book sale organizers for this year’s event that takes place from Saturday, April 28 through Tuesday, May 1. According to Pat Gould, chairperson of the event with Lila Griswold and Janet Zuckerman, “We have an unbelievable amount of items this year. People have been extraordinarily generous in their donations, coupled with a treasure trove of books from the household of Rita and Theodore Bikel, the stage actor. Wilton Library’s aptly named Gigantic Book Sale fundraiser begins Saturday morning, April 28, from 7 to 9 with a $15 admission fee for early buyers. The sale is open to the public with free admission from 9 to 5. The sale continues on Sunday, April 29, from noon to 5. A silent auction of rare books, including dozens from Bikel’s cache, takes place on Saturday and Sunday. Also on Saturday, the Wilton Rotary Club will be selling hot dogs and sodas with proceeds benefiting the library. The book sale continues on Monday, April 30, from 10 to 5 with items marked half-price, and on Tuesday, May 1, the sale concludes from 10 to 2 with smart shoppers paying $5 per bag.
Bob Russell, author of Wilton’s history, who oversees the rare book auction commented, “This year’s silent auction is particularly strong with books such as Psycho, first edition 1959, first editions by Ray Bradbury and Ian Fleming, and a signed first by Martin Luther King Jr. Buyers can do their research online early at our website, www.wiltonlibrary.org, find out what books are in the auction and then come make their bids. It promises to be a very robust business.”
The book sale has been a staple fundraiser at the library for decades, and is widely perceived as a very well-organized event, with more than 75,000 items in 50 categories ranging from cookbooks to golf books, art history to health care, self-help to classic fiction. “There is truly something for everyone,” remarked Lila Griswold. “We have books, movies, CDs for adults, teens, children, toddlers – you can find just about anything for just about anyone,” noted Janet Zuckerman. Gould added, “Each year the community treats this library very well, with very generous donations of books, CDs, and DVDs. Our countless volunteers work year-round cleaning, sorting, and categorizing each of the items, making this sale the best that it can be.” Proceeds from the book sale support library programs and services throughout the year and are an integral part of Wilton Library’s fundraising efforts.
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The library is located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in the heart of Wilton Center. For information, directions and the silent auction list, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org or call 203-762-3950, ext. 213.
