'Nancy Drew,' 'Gone With the Wind' part of vintage book sale

You don't have to be Nancy Drew to uncover a vintage set of mysteries featuring the teenage sleuth. Just head to the West Islip Public Library June 2 and 3 for a sale of antique and vintage books being hosted by Friends of the West Islip Library.

"There's something to be said for reading a book that's been around longer than you," said Glen Matheson of West Islip, one of the organizers of the sale. "Many of the books we have were written before our grandparents were born. There's a tangibility that's hard to describe, yet you know it's there."

Among the antique books (100 years or older) being sold are “Andersen’s Fairy Tales” (1904) by Hans Christian Andersen, Winston Churchill's “A Modern Chronicle” (1910), a 1917 edition of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and a 1920 reprint of James Fenimore Cooper’s “The Deerslayer."

Vintage titles (50-99 years old) for purchase include “Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates” (1945), a 1946 edition of “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” and a 1936 first edition of "Gone With the Wind." And yes, there's that Nancy Drew set from the 1960s.

The sale will take place from noon to 5 p.m. June 2 and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. June 3. Proceeds will benefit the library. For additional information, send an email to FriendsWestIslipLibrary@gmail.com.

This is the second time the library Friends have hosted such a sale. The one in November generated much interest and warm feelings. "Each book that was brought up to the register triggered a true social connection," Matheson said. "One man sat and talked with me for 20 minutes after he purchased his books. Nearly everyone said they would be back again if we decided to do another vintage showcase."