Serving the residents of North Shore Towers since 1995Volume 18, Issue 3 March 2013

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By Gloria Ann KeylounMeg Salwen is no stranger to inspiring others. A

mother of two (her son is a physician, and daughter is a volunteer with people with special needs), Meg’s life reflects a family doing good for people through a pas-sionate effort to give back to the community.

Salwen grew up in the Midwood section of Brook-lyn, influenced by a father who was a talented sales-man, and a mother who was an active enthusiast in sports and loved speed skating. Her parents’ passion was volunteering for the military, where her father be-came an air raid warden and her mother worked as a Pink Lady in WWI.

Salwen’s family background continued to focus on helping others later on, while raising her family in Forest Hills, NY. She began her career as a showroom model in the fashion district, and then went onto hold many sales positions in the fashion industry in areas such as jewelry and millinery sales, ultimately using her talented communication skills in telephone market-ing.

Taking on the role of librarian succeeding Blossom Stone, Salwen is a 36-year resident of North Shore Towers. She has an extensive background in reading and sales, that contributes to her management style at

NST Library: A Literary Oasis

There is a place where the modern technology of smartphones, iPads, iPods, laptops and as-sorted computer devices is not required to disseminate ideas, information and entertain-ment. Located just an elevator ride away for

the residents of North Shore Towers, there is a welcom-ing world where old-fashioned storytelling still reigns su-preme, with no Wi-Fi required. In fact, the only electricity necessary is the simple light switch that illuminates a room bursting with about 2,000 paperback and hardcover books.

The décor is simple yet tasteful, appealing and welcom-ing, managed by a team of volunteers who are as warm as they are efficient, all proudly passionate of their envi-ronment. The Arcade Library of North Shore Towers is a literary oasis from the digital world, and one of the most popular amenities the community enjoys year round.

Miriam Rabinowitz, the creator of this facility bearing her name, established the library in the early days of the co-op. It is a popular destination with residents, where pa-trons spend their time and consider the space part of their own home. Meg Salwen, the resident librarian of the facil-ity, dedicates up to four hours per day each week working with her staff helpers, assisting the residents coming in and out of the library, while faithfully maintaining the contri-bution and circulation of books. Salwen and her staff dedi-cate their time to keeping the library an enduring space for their patrons.

Formerly run by Blossom Stone, who passed away in October, the library’s gracious and dedicated resident-member volunteers are now led by Salwen. She continues the never-ending dedication to maintaining the services of the library via donated books. There are no newspapers, periodicals, or electronic media, but the library offers a vast selection of books that display subjects categorized by author and topics, including history, self-help, classics, Judaica, and a section for large print books.

On any given day a resident can visit the library and search for a book on just about any subject. The basic rules emphasize an honor system for borrowing. Residents are allowed to take out a book and bring it back when they are finished, and volunteers remind people leaving for the winter to return books to the library. They also suggest a month take-out period as a maximum for all books.

They have a large circulation turnover. Each week books are returned, from two to 20 at a time, and residents are asked to leave them on the book cart within the library.

“You never know what you’re going to find here,” said Salwen. “You can have no books one day or a lot of books the next. Everything has to be categorized and checked. We organize things very efficiently here.”

Among the friendly and accommodating staff is Jeri Cutler, who praised Salwen. “Meg is more than a volun-teer,” she said. “Meg is the beginning. Ever since Blos-som Stone passed away last October, she stepped up to the plate and really brought this library to the point it is at now. Before Blossom, the books in the library had been organized by the color of the book itself.”

An avid reader, Salwen said she favors the mysteries,

By Gloria Ann Keyloun but she likes to keep a keen eye on the donated books that abound her cart every week. “Some of us have our own preference, but overall, everyone enjoys a good read, giv-en the variety of available subjects,” she continued.

The library doesn’t use standard categorization, be-cause it consists of donated items. Another resident helper, Arlene Kelvin, holds a masters degree in Library Science, along with Helene Cohen, and is instrumental in provid-ing an organization structure based on her years of experi-ence and knowledge, a skill appreciated by all. Kelvin and Cutler insist they are Salwen’s helpers, and are important in providing a face-to-face connection to the community. They emphasize a welcoming interactive environment, praise each other’s efforts, work well together, and give each other continuous support through Salwen’s efforts in her passion and dedication for managing the library.

Residents spend their time coming in and out of the li-brary to either bring back a borrowed book or donate a new one. Some people just come in and want to sit and read, and they are welcomed. One resident walked in to give back a book titled: “The Hair with Amber Eyes.” Af-ter being asked how she liked it, her review was, “Oh, I couldn’t put that book down. That was a really good one.”

Another visitor intervened, humorously adding, “You know, I bet there’s even more books here like that, one maybe about turquoise eyes too.” The library’s activity continued when another resident inquired where the large

print books were. One of the staff unlocked the large-print book cabinet for her to suggest a title of one of the clas-sics, pointing out that some of them were rare editions. The conversations continued to unfold as the room buzzed with activity.

The friendly staff greets every person who enters the library. Residents are always in the area, and many never pass by without coming in to say hello or interact with someone they know there. Everyone takes a moment to catch up with each other, and many wind up browsing the shelves for books.

As residents of the community donate books, it’s not uncommon to find many duplicates. In keeping with their generosity of giving back to the community, the staff do-nates the duplicate books to the local American Legion. Sometimes they contribute up to 13 cartons of books that are picked up and distributed to the military overseas. Many books are sent to military hospitals overseas where they are greatly appreciated. A wall of letters lines the back wall commending the staff for their donations.

The library is open from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon, with afternoon hours 1:00-3:00 pm and 4:30-6:00 pm. It is a collaborative venture between management and residents, under the guidance of the House and Grounds committee, and kept spic and span by Joe Raboni of Maintenance.

The Arcade Library continues to be a flourishing and

Resident Librarian Meg Salwen

MADELYN STEIN PHOTOMeg Salwen in the North Shore Towers Library.Continued on Page 11

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There’s a new criteria that buyers and renters of co-ops and condos in New York City are looking for these days: Geoffrey Chaucer or “50 Shades of Grey” must stay in the basement.

The in-house library has now become a popular ame-nity in New York real estate, much like the more typical fitness facilities and indoor pools. For instance, The Stan-ton, a co-op at Broadway and 94th Street, boasts a huge collection of books, from biographies to science fiction. Other condos such as Manhattan House at 200 East 66th, One57 at 157 West 57th, and 1 Rector Park at 333 Rector Place have all jumped on the book bandwagon as well.

It’s a fresh concept that real estate developers have found to be a more practical investment. Compared to al-lotting extra space for a party room, a library can be much more affordable and still quite desirable. It comes down to creating a quiet nook for residents who desire to have their daily dose of literature.

Brokers get a surprise reaction from potential clients when they enter the in-house library. After all, it’s still not typical to find shelves of best sellers in a community room. And never mind if we’re already in the age of Kindle, the library is still a treat for bookworms and even those who are just curious to get a hold of J.K. Rowling’s post-Harry Potter release or Scott Schuman’s coffee-table book.

Those who come to appreciate the library in a co-op’s basement or rooftop may enjoy spending late nights flip-ping pages while taking a sip of their favorite wine. Others serve pastries for breakfast to residents snuggled in leather

popular area for the community. Every day is spent with a sense of warmth, familiarity, and daily care towards the upkeep of this fine room, dedicated to supporting the interests of the com-munity.

With a staff that contributes to the feeling of a family environment, it is a great place for a resident who wants to disconnect from the ever-encroaching digital universe around them.

NST LibraryContinued from Page 3

In-House Libraries Attract Co-op Buyerssofas who have their noses buried in travel books or mod-ern classics. It’s like having your own Barnes & Noble coffee shop located in-house.

Residents are often encouraged to grow the collection by donating books, such as they do at North Shore Towers. On the other hand, condos such as the Toren at 150 Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn and The Caledonia at 450 West 17th have partnered with publishers to supply them with titles from classics to pop art. It’s a novel way of marketing resi-dential properties by pitching collections that are rare and

expensive, which are carefully selected by either property developers or book publishers.

Residents usually do not also have to contend with a li-brarian, since most in-house libraries do not have one. It’s all a matter of borrowing a book and returning it only after having gone through the final chapter, or if one feels guilty for keeping the book too long. With the growth of condos offering in-house library amenities, developers giddily await who wins in New York’s pricey real estate market.

Now, that’s surely one for the books.

Jeri Cutler, Arlene Kelvin and Meg Salwen.