Library Director Phil Heikkinen said of Saturday’s 52nd annual Library Fair, “Overall we were really happy with the results of this year’s fair. The main thing that I rediscovered is how resilient and resistant to rain both islanders and visitors alike are. When it was raining they stood looking at books under the plastic and when it stopped they immediately started buying.”

In intermittent rain and shine, fairgoers flocked to the Eastsound Village Square to purchase books, peruse the booths, meet friends, eat fair food and listen to music at the five hour event.

Heikkinen estimates that they raised about the same amount of money as last year and sold three-fourths of the 16,000 books during the auction. “The only years that exceeded this year and last were the years when we had a car or a boat to raffle off,” he said.

Heikkinen says he is on restriction from book buying but he went home lighter in the pocket from purchases of food at the kid’s booths, a cast iron frying pan, kitchen knives and the five paintings and several silent auction items he and his wife bought.