The volunteer-run Yellow Barn, a 19th-century carriage house in Riverhead, is a hub for book lovers and library supporters alike
Sales from books at The Yellow Barn, a former carriage house that was built around 1873, benefit the Riverhead Free Library. Credit: Tom Lambui
Like most bookworms, Ann Duprey keeps a pile of books she intends to read at some point.
Even her husband jokes about it, saying, " 'You’ll never read these all in your lifetime.' " But the retired nurse who frequently buys books from the Yellow Barn, a 150-year old bookstore in the heart of Riverhead, and volunteers there said, "it's a comfort to have them."
The two-story shop, which stands out for its signature shade of pale yellow paint, operates out of a 19th-century carriage house next to the library and contains troves of used books for sale in different genres. The shop, run entirely by volunteers for more than three decades, collaborates with the nonprofit Friends of the Riverhead Free Library to fundraise for library programming and upkeep of the historic structure.
Duprey, 62, of Riverhead is one of 16 volunteers, all retirees, who sort, shelve and sell thousands of donated books that are dropped off.
She has been volunteering at the barn for more than a decade and said she loves "to share books that I’ve read and really liked" with patrons. Her favorite authors run the gamut from Elin Hildebrand and Jodi Picoult, who write fiction novels.
Barbara Goss, 82, of Jamesport, who leads the team of volunteers, said, “Luckily, we have a great community.” Goss said the book donations are up to 19,000 this year.
Kerrie McMullen-Smith, the library's director, said the book sales help fund programming for children and seniors, museum passes and other library activities, and typically raises $20,000 each year. “[The friends] are very successful because the community loves to come shop at the Yellow Barn,” she said.
Paperbacks start at just a quarter, while larger coffee table books sell for around $20. Bestsellers typically cost $5. Damaged and dirty books are discarded and extras are donated to veterans groups, hospitals, jails and students.
The barn is open from April to October, but fundraising efforts continue year-round in the Yellow Barn South, in the lower level of the library.
Goss, a retired teacher, has picked up on what regular patrons like to read, often greeting them with a new recommendation.
The store is also a hidden gem for vacationers and day-trippers.
Esther Bae, 33, and Mike Kang, 37, both of Plainview, were among the dozen or so people wandering the barn on a recent morning.
“We just moved, got a bunch of bookcases and we wanted to fill them up,” said Bae, who teaches in Queens. They stocked up on a mix of classic and contemporary novels, plus books for Bae’s students by filling a large shopping bag for around $30.
“I loved their selection,” she said. “It’s very diverse.”
The carriage house was part of the estate of John R. Perkins, a Riverhead Town supervisor in the late 19th century. The Victorian-style structure now stands as a town designated landmark and is one of 39 stops along Riverhead’s historic trail, which allows people to scan QR codes to learn about the history of each place.
The library recently completed more than $150,000 on barn renovations, including electricity upgrades, humidity controls, floor restoration and repainting.
The volunteers raised about $26,000 for the library for the current fiscal year, McMullen-Smith said.
“It’s nice to have that part of history here on library grounds that people want to come and visit,” she said. “It's something unique we’re proud to have.”
Like most bookworms, Ann Duprey keeps a pile of books she intends to read at some point.
Even her husband jokes about it, saying, " 'You’ll never read these all in your lifetime.' " But the retired nurse who frequently buys books from the Yellow Barn, a 150-year old bookstore in the heart of Riverhead, and volunteers there said, "it's a comfort to have them."
The two-story shop, which stands out for its signature shade of pale yellow paint, operates out of a 19th-century carriage house next to the library and contains troves of used books for sale in different genres. The shop, run entirely by volunteers for more than three decades, collaborates with the nonprofit Friends of the Riverhead Free Library to fundraise for library programming and upkeep of the historic structure.
Duprey, 62, of Riverhead is one of 16 volunteers, all retirees, who sort, shelve and sell thousands of donated books that are dropped off.
She has been volunteering at the barn for more than a decade and said she loves "to share books that I’ve read and really liked" with patrons. Her favorite authors run the gamut from Elin Hildebrand and Jodi Picoult, who write fiction novels.
Friends of the Riverhead Free Library volunteers Sarah Mayo, left, and Barbara Goss. Credit: Tom Lambui
Barbara Goss, 82, of Jamesport, who leads the team of volunteers, said, “Luckily, we have a great community.” Goss said the book donations are up to 19,000 this year.
Kerrie McMullen-Smith, the library's director, said the book sales help fund programming for children and seniors, museum passes and other library activities, and typically raises $20,000 each year. “[The friends] are very successful because the community loves to come shop at the Yellow Barn,” she said.
Paperbacks start at just a quarter, while larger coffee table books sell for around $20. Bestsellers typically cost $5. Damaged and dirty books are discarded and extras are donated to veterans groups, hospitals, jails and students.
Volunteers sort through books at The Yellow Barn. Credit: Tom Lambui
The barn is open from April to October, but fundraising efforts continue year-round in the Yellow Barn South, in the lower level of the library.
Goss, a retired teacher, has picked up on what regular patrons like to read, often greeting them with a new recommendation.
The store is also a hidden gem for vacationers and day-trippers.
Esther Bae, 33, and Mike Kang, 37, both of Plainview, were among the dozen or so people wandering the barn on a recent morning.
“We just moved, got a bunch of bookcases and we wanted to fill them up,” said Bae, who teaches in Queens. They stocked up on a mix of classic and contemporary novels, plus books for Bae’s students by filling a large shopping bag for around $30.
“I loved their selection,” she said. “It’s very diverse.”
The carriage house was part of the estate of John R. Perkins, a Riverhead Town supervisor in the late 19th century. The Victorian-style structure now stands as a town designated landmark and is one of 39 stops along Riverhead’s historic trail, which allows people to scan QR codes to learn about the history of each place.
The library recently completed more than $150,000 on barn renovations, including electricity upgrades, humidity controls, floor restoration and repainting.
The volunteers raised about $26,000 for the library for the current fiscal year, McMullen-Smith said.
“It’s nice to have that part of history here on library grounds that people want to come and visit,” she said. “It's something unique we’re proud to have.”
THE YELLOW BARN
- The Yellow Barn is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from April to October.
- More than 19,000 books have been donated so far this year.
- The former carriage house was built around 1873.
- Used book sales benefit the library with around $20,000 in fundraising each year.
SOURCE: RIVERHEAD FREE LIBRARY
