Salamanca High School Book Fair
On Sept. 30, 2021 Salamanca High School had its 2021 open house. Part of that open house was a book fair that was held in the library.
The Salamanca High School Literacy Committee wanted to put a new spin on traditional book fairs, so this year they invited an independent book store, a comic book store, and the public library system to participate. The goal was not only to inspire more reading, but also to support small businesses in the area.
The independent book store is Off the Beaten Path Bookstore from Lakewood, NY, owned by Bob and Shannon Lingle. Mr. Lingle brought a wonderful selection of books to sell at the book fair, book totes, and even some free book marks. Their book store has many events for those who can attend either in-person or virtually, and even has an online presence for orders.
Chautauqua Comics was also represented at the book fair. This store is located in Jamestown, NY, and is owned by Al Steffens. There was a large selection of comic books that were given away featuring various characters such as Batman, King Shark, Spiderman, Venom, and groups such as Teen Titans, The Avengers, Stars Wars, and Justice League. The store has a huge selection of comic books and collectibles, plus it is a gathering place for people who enjoy collectible card games, trading cards, and Dungeons and Dragons.
The Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System was represented at the book fair by Jennifer Stickles from Salamanca Public Library. Ms. Stickles brought a variety of books, as well as a sample of their hand-decorated Book Boxes that can be ordered for patrons of various ages. Each box is filled with goodies, and books which are selected based on the recipient’s age level and interests. After reading, the box and books need to be returned but the goodies inside are for the patron to keep. Ms. Sickles also used the opportunity to sign people up for the free library cards that can be used at any of the 38 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Libraries.
Salamanca High School’s own Andrea Cooke (a Seneca language teacher) created hand-crafted book marks just for the occasion made from black ash splints and sweet grass. She is an experienced traditional basket-maker, so having these beautiful bookmarks were a wonderful contribution to the event.
