Volunteers have been working long hard hours to stack and arrange books for this weekend’s Katonah Village Library book sale.

But from a photo sent by librarian Van Kozelka, these youngsters and adults who helped out sure look like they are having a grand time.

“Many thanks to all the people who came,” said Kozelka.

The sale begins Saturday, Oct. 18 at 10 am and ends Sat., Oct. 25 at noon. Call the library at 914-232-3508 for details.

In addition to many, many books in every conceivable category, there are Literary Journals, Sheet Music, Old Books, New Books, Rare Books, Reference Books, First Editions and Signed Copies.

This year an extensive number of books and videotapes (VHS) about Elvis Presley will be for sale.

Most hardcover books with dust jackets are around $2. Most of the children’s books range from 50 cents to $5.

The hours, times and sale prices are as follows:
Saturday October 18 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Full price
Sunday October 19 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Full price
Monday October 20 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Full price
Tuesday October 21 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Full price
Wednesday October 22 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Half price
Thursday October 23 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Half price
Friday October 24 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Bargains
Saturday October 25 10 a.m. – noon “Make an offer”

Katonah Village Library celebrated 125 years of service to the community in 2005. The library is located at 26 Bedford Road, Katonah.

This week, Oct. 12-18 is Teen Reading Week, a period when teens are especially encouraged to read and vote for their favorite books. When I checked the reading week website yesterday evening, I didn’t see even one entry from New York. So come on, teen readers, check out this site and mark your favorites.

Last year’s favorites from the 2007 Teens’ Top Ten were:

1. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006).


2. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (Viking Children’s Books, 2006)


3. How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles (Flux, 2006).


4. Maximum Ride: School’s Out – Forever by James Patterson (Hachette Book Group USA/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006).


5. Firegirl by Tony Abbott (Hachette Book Group USA/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006).


6. All Hallows Eve (13 Stories)by Vivian Vande Velde (Harcourt, 2006).


7. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Harcourt, 2006).


8. River Secrets by Shannon Hale (Bloomsbury, 2006).


9. Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe (HarperCollins, 2006).


10. Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks (Chicken House, 2006).

The promotion is sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association of the American Library Association.

The Kent Public Library is hosting author and storyteller, Vincent Dacquino, for a presentation on the stories behind three enigmatic Putnam County folk legends: Sybil Ludington, Daniel Nimham and George Denny.The event, “Do Spirits Still Haunt the Hudson Valley,” is from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Sat., Oct. 25th at the library on Sybil’s Crossing.

Mr. Dacquino’s book, “Hauntings of the Hudson River Valley,” for teens and adults, will be available for $20/copy at this event. Please register online at www.kentlibrary.org or call 845 225-8585.

Meet the ghosts of Smalley’s Inn before the presentation!
To join Vin Dacquino for a guided tour of Smalley’s Inn on Gleneida Avenue in Carmel from 10 to 11 a.m. just before his talk, please email him at vtd1234@aol.com or call 845 206-7703. Visit his website at www.vtdacquino.com for more information.

With Halloween approaching the village of Sleepy Hollow and its environs really come alive and in full fall bloom. For anyone who hasn’t read the “Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” the story by Washington Irving first published in 1820, now is the time to pick up a copy at a local bookstore or library. It tells the tale of schoolteacher Ichabod Crane who meets up with a headless horseman at a spooky bridge. A favorite rendition of mine is a reading by actress Glenn Close (Rabbit Ears).
Here are some live events

•Oct. 13 at 2 p.m.: Halloween Howls @ Hendrick Hudson Free Library, 185 Kings Ferry Road, Montrose. Puppet show and party for children age 5 and up. Tickets available beginning September 29. Call 914- 739-5654.

• Oct. 25 at 2:30 p.m.: Halloween program for kids at the Mamaroneck Library, 136 Prospect Ave. Spooky tales , creepy crafts , and tasty treats for ages 6 and up. Registration required , call 914- 698-1250.

• Oct. 26 & 27 : A reading of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” at the Old Dutch Church, 430 North Broadway, Sleepy Hollow. Reading is by Diedrich Knickerbocker (Ward Riley). The church is a historic stone building lit with candles so the event will feel authentic and a bit spooky. Readings both nights are at 8 pm. Purchase tickets from the Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns, 914-631-4497.

•Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.: Tuesday, October 28. Author Linda Zimmermann will present stories from her latest ghost investigations which are part of her recent volume, “Ghost Investigations Vol. VIII. ” Books will be available for purchase and signing. Free program at the Sloatsburg Public Library, 1 Liberty Rock Road, Sloatsburg. Information, call 845-753-2001.

•Oct. 30 at 5 p.m.: Celebrate Halloween at the Mahopac Public Library. Attendees are invited to dressin costume and bring a bag of candy to share. There will be frighteningly fun games and yummy prizes. Plus there will be a special Halloween performance by the MPL Teen Players. Children in Grades 5 and under must be accompanied by a responsible adult (over the age of 16) who must remain in the library for the duration of their visit. Registration, call 845-629-2009.
•Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m: Spooky Stories in the Stacks at Larchmont Library. For ages 6 & up – What’s spookier than the non-fiction section in an old library? Come to the library for a Halloween celebration wth music, snacks and scary stories. For information, call the Larchmont Library, 121 Larchmont Ave., at 914-834-2281 or visit it’s Web site at www. larchmontlibrary.org.

•Oct. 31 at 5:30 p.m.: Storytime in the children’s section of Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the Palisades Mall, West Nyack. Guest appearances by some costumed characters. Information, call 845-348-4701.

Happy Halloween!

(Photo from sleepyhollowgiftsonline.com/)

When Putnam Valley teachers’ aide Cindy Belotti passed away from cancer this summer, her colleague Cheryl Kahn searched for a way to honor her co-worker and friend. She has created the Cindy Belotti Lending Library at the Putnam Valley Middle School for staff and faculty.

I think Kahn came up with a wonderful plan — one that will recall Belotti countless times and will also honor the value of books and learning.

My colleague Diana Costello wrote a heartwarming blog entry this morning in Hall Monitor and I urge you check it out and share some book suggestions here.

Grammy-nominated guitarist and composer, Frederic Hand, will be performing at the Friends of the Warner Library concert at 2:30 p.m. this Saturday at the Warner Library,  121 N. Broadway, Tarrytown.

In addition to serving as the Metropolitan Opera’s guitarist and lutenist, he is currently chairman of the Classical Guitar department at the State University of New York at Purchase.

The concert will be held in the library’s  Third Floor event room.

For many people fall means glorious leaves, pumpkins and apple cider.
For me, and other bargain book hunters, it also means the season of book fairs. At these events there are  thousands of books, DVDs and assorted tapes for much less than their original price. And, the proceeds benefit the libraries helping friends groups sponsor special programs and events.

And this posting, gives me the opportunity to remind  readers about, Booksalefinder.com, a Web site which lists book fairs across the country.  This site has been around since 1994, but is gaining speed each year. There is a map of the United States and you just click on the state and then scroll to your location. I’ve even checked out states and have found a book fair that was being held just where I was vacationing.

Here are some upcoming fairs in our region:

• Oct. 11-12: Kent Library book fair sponsored by the Friends of Kent Library. Hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 12, at Kent Town Hall, 40 Sybil’s Crossing in the Kent Town Complex off Route 52.

•Oct. 18-19: Warner Library book fair sponsored by the Friends of the Warner Library. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the library’s front yard at 121 N. Broadway, Tarrytown. Rain or shine.

•Oct. 18-25, Katonah Village Library annual sale this year with more than 30,000 items. Check Web site for daily sale hours which vary from day to day during this period. Library is at 26 Bedford Road.

•Oct. 24-26: John C. Hart Memorial Library book fair. Hours: 7 to 9 p.m.  Oct. 24 (Library Friends Only) ,
October 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 25, and from 1 to 4 p. m. Oct. 26. The library, which serves the Yorktown community, is at 1130 Main Street, Shrub Oak. Book sales also coordinates with a bake sale.

•Ongoing library book sales:

••Brewster Public Library, Sale held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday at 67 Main St.(white trailer builder building)

••Field Library Bookstore, 834 South Street, Peekskill. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and  11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Sundays.

Anyone know of others, particularly in Rockland County, add a comment!

Happy book hunting.