WINTER BOOK SALE ATTRACTS REGULARS, LOCAL LEADERS
The rain did not stop people from attending opening night of the Winter Book Sale on Friday, January 31. The line to get in was as long as ever. “I’ve been coming for three or four years,” said Brian, who travelled from Waltham for the event. “I always find a lot of good books. It’s worth fighting the rain.” Alexandra, who was waiting in line behind Brian, agreed. “This is the best sale I have found,” she said. “I love books. I have a big library at home. But I continue to collect more. Books are like my trophies!” Alexandra travelled from Leominster to attend the sale.
Membership Chair John Newman and Friends Vice President Mary Cacciatore Check in Guests
While shoppers eagerly waited for the doors to open, volunteers inside hosted a special guest. State Representative Jim Arciero stopped by for a preview with his daughter, Angelina, a 3rd grader at Crisafulli School. Angelina picked out a few Baby-Sitter’s Club books from the children’s table while Jim talked with volunteers and staff. “I remember coming to the Library as a kid, before the previous renovation in 1988,” Jim said, recalling that the Children’s Area used to be right next to the main entrance. “As a teenager, I would go to the historical section and pick out these bizarre mummy books.”
Book Sale Chair Emily Classon, Book Sale Deputy and Treasurer Sally Rosenthal, Angelina Arciero, James Arciero, Library Director Ellen Rainville, Advocacy Chair Dana Riegert
Angelina did not remember coming to Mother Goose story time at the Library as an infant and toddler, but her dad said that she came frequently, and that the popular program is where his wife first met other Westford moms. Friends board member and advocacy chair Dana Riegert shared a similar experience, saying that the Library was the first place she came to when she moved here from Watertown with her three small children.
While Jim perused the offerings, long-time volunteers Jan Corcoran and Phyllis Carrow made final preparations. Jan said she had been at the Library that morning to begin setting up the sale “from scratch.” She likes doing that task, she said, and finds it satisfying to sort and organize the books onto the empty tables. Phyllis said she used to run the sale, and recalled a time when the Friends stored the donated books behind Ellen Harde’s former house on Lincoln Street. Both women said they find volunteering for the sale fun.
Jan Corcoran and Phyllis Carrow get ready for customers
The crowd was steady throughout the night. Rudra, age 9, of Westford, was there with his mom. It was his first time attending the sale. “It’s good,” he said. “There are a lot of nice books, and they are cheap.” Susan Corneliussen, a Reading Tutor at the Morey School in Lowell, was there using her Books for Teachers voucher. The Books for Teachers program, which is administered by Friends board member Margie Berenson and funded by a grant from the Renee B. Fisher Foundation, allows select teachers from Lowell to choose books and other media to share with children whose access to these materials may otherwise be limited. Susan praised the quality and quantity of children’s books available and said she will use many of them for an upcoming Bingo for Books event at the school. Others will be used to stock the school’s Book Nook lending libraries and to fill take-home bags for students.
Last Sale in Current Building
This Winter Book Sale was the last one in the current building before the Library closes for renovations.
Library Director Ellen Rainville said the Library will be moving off-site, to 515 Groton Road, at the end of March or the beginning of April. The construction is expected to take 18 to 24 months, with the new building slated to open in late 2026 or early 2027.
While patrons will be able to browse bestsellers and new books in the temporary building, the basement stacks will be closed, and staff will retrieve the titles stored there. Pickup services, including interlibrary loans, will still be readily available. Access to eBooks, audiobooks, databases, and other electronic collections will remain the same. Many children’s and teen programs, such as story time, book club, and summer reading, will take place at alternate locations. More details about those programs will be available soon.
The Friends will continue to hold book sales during the expansion. The money the Friends raise, through book sales, memberships, and donations, helps pay for library programming, digital resources, and museum passes. “We want to provide the same level of support during the renovation,” Friends Treasurer and Book Sale Deputy Sally Rosenthal said, “so we will have to be more inventive with our fundraising.” Details about the location and dates of upcoming book sales will be available soon.
In addition to raising money for programs, digital resources, and museum passes, the Friends, through their Foundation, are helping finance the renovation project. The $1.5 million they are charged with raising will offset the total cost of the project and will be used primarily to furnish the new building. “The tax impact of the project is reduced by the Friends’ two-pronged fundraising,” Ellen said, “which includes the 1,000 Homes Campaign and the opportunity to secure naming rights to various areas in the new building.”
The 1,000 Homes Campaign aims to raise a million dollars by asking 1,000 households in Westford to donate $1,000 each – either as a one-time payment or three payments over three years. Foundation Co-Chair and Friends Vice President Mary Cacciatore said 318 homes have participated so far. Ellen said the Naming and Sponsorship Opportunities piece of the fundraising is going very well. She said more than a third of the available areas have been spoken for.
To donate, and to find out more, visit the Foundation’s website.