Gingle-Lerman Realty Group hosted a book swap event to encourage reading in the community this fall.
“We just thought it’d be a good thing to do,” said Roberta Lerman, who organized the event with her business partner, Marcie Gingle.
Lerman said that over the past several months, many people donated books for the event.
The book selection included titles appropriate for children, middle schoolers, and adults, featuring both fiction and nonfiction genres.
Attendees were welcome to choose whichever books interested them until the supply ran out, “to build up for their winter reading,” Lerman said.
Local authors Betsy Ellor, Julie Hahnke, and Jen Safrey were in attendance, offering readings, signing books, and giving away or selling copies of their work.
Gift cards to several local bookstores, including Marblehead’s Saltwater Bookstore, the Book Shop of Beverly Farms in Beverly, and Wicked Good Books in Salem, were also given away.
This was the first event of its kind for Gingle and Lerman. “We wanted to do something for the community that was free and didn’t cost anybody any money,” Lerman said.
Lerman noted that both she and Gingle are avid readers, adding that she believes having a good set of books to curl up with as the colder months approach is enjoyable.
They are considering holding a similar event next year.