L-R: State Librarian Richard Burns; “Buddy” Bess of Bess Press; Mae Rosen, FLH Staff; Byrde Cestare, FLH Executive Director. Photo courtesy of FLH
Benjamin Buddy Bess, the publisher of Bess Press, donated 11,000+ books to the Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i (FLH). The retail value of these books exceeds $125,000. Some of the titles include (links go to HBB reviews, if applicable):
For Adults:
- The View from Diamond Head by Don Hibbard and David Franzen
- USS Arizona: Warship Tomb Monument by MacKinnon Simpson
- Family Traditions in Hawaii by Joan Namkoong
- Pacific Island Battlegrounds of World War II by Earl Hinz
- Surfers Guide to Hawaii by Greg Ambrose
- Arts and Crafts of Micronesia by Barbara Wavell
For Children:
- Opihi Baby by J. Lovins
- The Magic Shark Learns to Cook by Donivee Martin Laird and Carol Ann Johnson (illus.)
- Snow White and the Seven Menehune by Donivee Martin Laird and Carol Ann Johnson (illus.)
- The Musubi Man’s New Friend by Sandi Takayama and Pat Hall (illus.)
- How Six Little Ipu Got Their Names by Debi Brimmer and Julie Coleson
The Bess Press books will be featured at the FLH 65th Annual Booksale which will open to the public on Saturday, June 23, 9 a.m., at McKinley High School. Proceeds from the sale benefit Hawai‘i’s 50 public libraries.
“The timing of this incredible donation is perfect,” commented Byrde Cestare, Executive Director of FLH. “These beautiful books will be added to public library collections and we’ll have a huge selection to offer to the public at our 65th Annual Booksale, a benefit for Hawaii’s 50 public libraries. We’d like to acknowledge Buddy Bess for his support of Hawaii’s libraries!”
