‘Wicked Big Book Sale’ coming to Russell Library

MIDDLETOWN — For a limited time, the space above Powder Hollow Brewery at 62 Washington St., Middletown, will be transformed into a multi-room used book store.

Upwards of 10,000 gently used books, DVDs, music CDs and even jigsaw puzzles provided by the Wesleyan Library and the Friends of the Russell Library, will be priced to sell, at less than $2 for most items.

Every child who attends will be invited to take home one free book.

The project is the brainchild of library directors Andrew White (Wesleyan Library) and Ramona Burkey (Russell Library). Residents of Middletown who began work within a month or two of one another in 2018, they have formed a fast friendship that promises creative and innovative partnerships going forward.

Early into their tenures, White and Burkey discovered that both the Russell and Wesleyan libraries were home to large quantities of donated books that their Friends groups needed to sell to raise funds.

They also learned that they both had strong roots in the state of Maine: White spent nearly 20 years at Bates College in Lewiston, while Burkey was born and raised in the small coastal town of Belfast.

“We’re both deeply invested in keeping our libraries at the center of this community,” Burkey said. “So a huge event that would bring together our Friends groups, staff, Wesleyan students and faculty, and city residents just seems like, well, a wicked good idea.”

As anyone who has organized similar events can attest, however, bringing ideas — even wicked good ones — from concept to reality is often the hardest part.

“We had to find a space that could accommodate us,” says White. “We wanted to be accessible to downtown Middletown, and even help bring foot traffic to the area.”

Burkey was able to make a connection, through Brendan Kelly of Harding Development

Group, with a local developer with some available space. The Gondek Group, owner of 62 Washington St., came through.

“Rocco Gondek has been amazing throughout this whole process,” says Burkey. “The Gondek Group is allowing us to use their space, which is currently available for rent, for free as a service to the community, and they have been gracious and accommodating to large groups of librarians and volunteers tromping through the space to scope it out and ask questions. And we do ask a lot of questions.”

Volunteers are at the heart of the success of Middletown’s libraries. The Friends of the Russell Library raise nearly $25,000 annually to support concerts, programs, summer reading initiatives, and events for all ages, along with the popular Museum Pass program.

The Wesleyan Friends of Arts and Letters supports Wesleyan’s Center for the Arts, the Davison Arts Center and Wesleyan Library.

Jennifer Hadley, a Wesleyan Library staff member who also serves on the Russell Library’s Board of Trustees, welcomes the opportunity to bring the community together for a fun couple of weekends for a good cause:

“This is exactly the kind of engagement both institutions are looking for, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

Howard Rulnick, president of the Friends of the Russell Library, agrees: “We’ve never done anything like this before, but we’re confident that it will be an exciting and worthwhile event that raises lots of money for both libraries and supports businesses on lower Washington Street.”

The sale will run for two long weekends. Preview night is 6-9 p.m. on March 12, with a $20 entry fee or proof of Friends membership, available at the door.

Also, 10 a.m-6 p.m. March 13-14, 1-5 p.m. March 15, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. March 20 and 21, 1-5 p.m. March 22 (fill the bag sale, $7) and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 23 (free book day).

Credit cards, cash and checks will be accepted. Parking is available in Melilli Plaza, and wheelchair/stroller access is available via the passageway to the west of Steamed, 68 Washington St.,

Information on the Wicked Big Book Sale is available at www.russelllibrary.org/book-sale