The Southbury Record

A wooden card catalog still greets visitors inside the Heritage Village Library, its rows of drawers guiding residents through their community’s backyard library since 1968.

The library itself is housed in an early 18th-century New England cottage, complete with 18-inch floorboards, four fireplaces and beamed ceilings. Moved from its original site in Litchfield and Roxbury in 1924, the building now serves as a community landmark.

When the library outgrew the space, a 500-square-foot addition was built in 2002. And it is here, in that newer corner, where the next chapter quietly waits: a single computer connected to the cloud, ready to bring the collection into the digital age.

While the cataloging system is poised for change, some traditions, like the library’s annual book sale, remain timeless.

The book sale will start on Thursday, September 18, with a special preview sale from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with a $20 fee. The book sale will continue through Sunday, concluding with a half-price finale.

Proceeds will go to the library’s continued mission of buying new books and serving the 55-and-up community it serves.

In addition to new fiction and non-fiction books, the Heritage Village Library is home to a wide collection of large-print books, DVDs and a room dedicated to puzzles.

The library’s treasurer, Christine Edelson, says the technology upgrades could potentially allow for a home-delivery system throughout Heritage Village. With the help of a team of volunteers, the nonprofit hopes to have their catalog fully online by October 1.

“We’ve really been building up our collection,” said Edelson. “With home delivery for puzzles and books, it’s a way to build community. Bringing people together is an important thing.”

The Heritage Village Library is located in the heart of Heritage Village, just beyond the meeting house at 5 Heritage Way.

The book sale will be held at Sarah Cooke Hall, just up the road at 11 Heritage Way.