By Dorothy Pam

Hatsy Taylor organizes newly donated books in the Canaan warehouse.

The Norfolk Library Associates are happy to announce that the Norfolk Book Sale is back in business. Starting May 1, Norfolkians whose shelves and closets have been overflowing with excess books will be able to donate them once again to the annual book sale. Books should be packed in cardboard boxes and dropped off at the Corner Store on Fridays. Volunteers will pick them up each week and transport them to storage.
During the past year, the Norfolk Library has been rethinking space allocation,
refurbishing the Great Hall and getting ready for renovations to create a rare books room on the second floor in the space previously used by the associates to store and sort books
throughout the year in preparation for the annual book sale. As of a month ago, no
acceptable storage place had been found, thus imperiling the Norfolk tradition to raise
much needed funds for the library and connect people with good books at low prices.
Just as the Library Associates were beginning to despair, a group of local residents,
spearheaded by Michael Sconyers, who were concerned about the demise of this very
successful and popular endeavor, came to the rescue. Tim Hitchcock volunteered to let
the associates use a room in his Canaan warehouse for book storage. The Corner Store, a
key Norfolk institution, agreed to be the collection site for donated books while the
library is unable to accept them.
Sconyers, Taylor and a small crew recently made bookshelves of cement blocks and
boards at the warehouse and moved a room full of books from the library to the new
storage space, enabling Hatsy Taylor, the book sale organizer, to continue sorting the
books in preparation for the annual event.
The call now goes out for donations of books in good condition for the Norfolk Library
Associates Annual Book Sale, which will be held on Saturday, August 23, 2008, from 11
a.m. until 3 p.m. The sale has traditionally been held the last Saturday in August, but this
year that date corresponds with Labor Day weekend.
Norfolk volunteers have once again outdone themselves in a show of dedication and
creativity.