Published: October 09, 2008 09:14 am      

C.E. Brehm Memorial Public Library receives donation for book purchases

By VANESSA WELCH

vanessa.welch@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Area teenagers and middle school students will benefit from many new non-fiction books purchased recently by the C.E. Brehm Memorial Public Library, which was made possible by a donation received this summer.

Charlotte Suhler, a former Mt. Vernon resident, and her husband John gave a $5,000 donation in memory of her father, Robert K. Thompson, a former general manager of the Mt. Vernon Register-News. The library has since been able to purchase 29 mostly multi-volume books for teens and children.

“We have looked at some books for years including Bloom’s Shakespeare Through the Ages, but never felt we had the money to get them,” head librarian Marilyn Konold said. “With our budget we are very careful as to what we purchase. When we get $5,000, we can purchase things on our wishlist and that is very exciting for us.”

The library was informed this summer about the Suhler’s donation. Konold said book purchases were made from catalogs provided by the couple.

“The Suhlers sent us book catalogs from Facts on File, Ferguson Publishing, Chelsea House and Blooms Literary Criticism,” Konold said. “The Children’s Librarian Jacqueline Ross and Assistant Director Esther Curry spent many pleasurable hours going through the catalogs selecting titles that were needed in our library.”

Curry said she enjoyed looking through the catalogs and discussing what books to select with Ross.

“It was a lot of fun and very educational because of the variety of categories and titles to choose from,” Curry said.

Konold said the library is grateful to have the opportunity to purchase new books to replace similar yet older versions, and also to fill categories that are underrepresented.

Books were purchased for the reference, junior, and teen/adult departments. Some of the book titles include ‘Encyclopedia of Art for Young People’, ‘Mysteries, Legends, and Unexplained Phenomena’ and ‘Living in the Ancient World.’

Konold expressed appreciation on behalf of the library for the opportunity to purchase new books.

“We are grateful to the Suhlers for thinking of the library, and we are certain that students will make good use of these new books,” Konold said.

The books arrived at the library last week and are currently being cataloged. Patrons will be able to check out the books as they become available over the next three months. To find out more about the new non-fiction books contact the library at 242-6322.