Ida Stone – A Friend of the Lorain Public Library

The Friends of the Lorain Public Library organization is currently holding one of its book sales from now until May 16th. If you love books, it's a great opportunity to add to your own library – on the cheap. 

Although many of the books are donated by the public (which explains the abundance of cook books in pristine condition), there are also old library books that are being "retired."

At the last book sale, I picked up a former Lorain Public Library copy of The Man Who Never Was by Ewen Montagu (shown above). Inside is a bookplate indicating that it was donated by Miss Ida Stone in memory of her parents.

So who was Ida Stone? Probably the best friend the Lorain Public Library ever had.

Here's her photo from the 1945 Lorain High School Scimitar yearbook.

At the time of her passing in November 1968, her obituary in the Chronicle-Telegram noted that the retired Lorain High School teacher had recently donated 1,123 books to the Lorain Public Library in memory of her late parents.

The online History of the Lorain Public Library System notes that in 1970 the library established a paperback collection, and that "Many of the paperbacks are gifts from Miss Ida Stone, a retired Lorain High School teacher."

Anyway, I'll bet that Miss Stone died believing that the books she donated would remain on the shelves down at the Main Library on Sixth Street in perpetuity, for patrons to enjoy, and as a loving tribute to her parents.

It just doesn't seem right that any of those books should end up in a sale along with romance novels and old dog-eared copies of People magazine.

From November 27, 1968 Lorain Journal