(Model of the Alaska Ocean donated by Jeff Hendricks)
Anonymous donors have made it possible for the Anacortes library to establish a new Marine Collection consisting of nearly 300 boating books, marine charts and DVDs.
Most of the collection is available now, but a kick-off reception is set for Saturday afternoon at the library.
The library indicates the donors want to keep a low profile, but sources in the local marine community say they have an interest in sharing their life-long work in the maritime industry with others who are interested in the sea.
The couple has promised annual donations to enable the library to purchase more books and to maintain the existing 280 or so existing books and charts.
Books in the Maritime Collection are marked with an anchor on the spine. The charts, all laminated for protection, are housed in new cabinets.
This is the second large speciality collection. Earlier the Manieri family established a Jazz Collection through a donation of about $600,000 to the library.
This Saturday’s opening reception will start at 3:30 pm with a presentation by John Guzzwell, a well-known maritime author and former Transpac San Francisco-to-Honolulu racer who lives in Poulsbo. His presentation kicks off a series of four presentations in connection with the Maritime Collection, to be held on the third Saturday of each month.