Pequot Library To Host 62nd Annual Summer Book Sale This Month

The following release is from the Pequot Library:

FAIRFIELD, CT — Pequot Library’s 62nd annual Summer Book Sale returns stronger than ever, presenting bargains alongside a remarkable selection of collector’s items. Of particular note, the library offers a first edition of the English translation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s classic novel Crime and Punishment. This item was donated to the library in the late fall and includes an advertisement on the verso (back) of the half-title page, making this copy one of nine known examples of its kind in the world.

Book Sale volunteer chairperson Doug Fried said, “We were beyond thrilled to discover such a
treasure, which was left in a suitcase in the donation shed. This edition was published in 1886,
and a similar copy recently sold in the UK for £13,500. We’ve priced it at $10,000; proceeds
provide critical support for the library’s annual operating budget.”

The sale also includes over 400 collectible items available for purchase–an increase of more than
50% from last year, as book sale volunteers successfully processed a backlog of donations that
had accrued during the pandemic. Other rare and interesting books for sale include a 1660 copy
of Vestgi della abtichita di Roma Tivoli Pozzuolo et altre luochi by Marco Sadeler on sale for
$3,000, a similar copy of which sold at Christie’s in 2012 for $5,250; a 1796 copy of The
Practical Carpenter or Youth’s Instructor by William Pain for $3,000, a similar copy of which
sold at Christie’s in 2022 for $5,292; and an 1850 copy of Denkmaeler aus Aegypten und
Aethiopen, Vol 3, by C.R. Lepsis. The full twelve-volume set sold at auction for £93,000.

The sale also presents any number of bargains. Read below for descriptions of what to anticipate and for more information on the purchasing process.

ABOUT THE SUMMER BOOK SALE:
One of the largest book sales in New England, Pequot Library’s Summer Book Sale attracts book
lovers from near and far to browse over 100,000 items in over 50 categories. The five-day sale
takes place in large tents on the Great Lawn and parking lot and in the auditorium and Reading
Room. Admission is free. All proceeds support Pequot Library’s annual programs and library services for adults and children, serving more than 30,000 patrons a year. As a nonprofit association library, Pequot Library relies on individual donations, grants, business support, and special event fundraisers like the annual book sales. The library is grateful for continued taxpayer support that amounts to funding about 20% of the organization’s annual expenses.

The sale will feature five author appearances from local authors who will be available to sign
books Tim Cole joins the library on July 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., followed by Dan
Harmon from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eve Cateveras appears on July 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00
p.m., followed by Amanda Parrish Morgan from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Suzanne Farrell Smith
will be on hand on July 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The Summer Book Sale features more than 50 categories of items for sale, including CDs,
DVDs, LPs, children’s books, cookbooks, fiction & classics, history, biography, gardening,
auction catalogs, mysteries, and signed books. Thanks to the Renée B. Fisher Foundation, Pequot
Library continues its twenty-plus year tradition of offering $100 vouchers to public school
teachers from New Haven, Bridgeport, Ansonia, Derby, Norwalk, and Stratford. Teachers use
these funds for stocking their classroom shelves. In addition, once again, Trinity Episcopal
Church will host its “Park for Food” drive from Friday, July 21 through Sunday, July 24. The
food drive will take place in their parking lot on the corner of Pequot Avenue and Center Street
(a half-block away from the library). Volunteers will direct patrons to available parking in
exchange for canned food or monetary donations.

The sale runs on Friday (July 21) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday to Monday (July 22 to July 24) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and on Tuesday (July 25) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hours and pricing can be found at www.pequotlibrary.org.

ABOUT PURCHASING SPECIAL ITEMS:
Email booksale@pequotlibrary.org for more information about the books described and others.
Interested parties can also visit the library from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on July 10 and 11 in
order to view collectible items in advance. Starting at noon on July 16, these items will be
available for purchase at the library’s online store: https://pequot-library-booksale.square.site.
Purchased items can be collected in person starting on July 21.

ABOUT PEQUOT LIBRARY:
As a public association library 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Pequot Library relies on the
generosity of donors at fundraisers, corporate and community partners, and Friends of Pequot
Library memberships. Don’t miss a moment. Follow Pequot Library on Facebook, Instagram,
and Twitter.