MEG SALWEN: NST Librarian Meg Groberg Salwen recalls a wonderful childhood, living on Ocean Avenue, between Avenues H and I in Brooklyn. Her father was a successful button salesman. But with the advent of zippers, his business declined. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom, but kept very busy, speed skating at the Brooklyn Ice Palace, playing Mah-Jong and Bridge, and when World War II broke out, volunteering as a “Pink Lady” at the local hospital, helping relieve nurses who went to war. Meg was skilled at horseback riding and roller skating. She recalls the Ocean Avenue trolley car, which went all the way to Sheepshead Bay, where she and her mother frequently went to buy lobsters and clams. Occasionally, to Meg’s delight and the shrieks of the trolley passengers, a not-quite-dead lobster would climb out of the bag. BY FRED CHERNOW WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL? I graduated Midwood, our local high school. I wanted to experience life outside of Brooklyn and my parents arranged for me to go to the University of Miami. There, I was chosen as the Sweetheart of Tau Epsilon Phi Fraternity, which led to a modeling job after graduation. I was too short to model dresses, but I was chosen as a photography model and millinery model. Between assignments, I sold costume jewelry to exclusive shops. Later, I represented Nature’s Bounty Vitamins and enjoyed working in sales, because I could interact with people. My mother met another woman, who talked about her son at a Bridge game. Soon a blind date was arranged. He was a graduate of Madison, a neighboring high school. We married in 1951 and were blessed with two children. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? My son graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and went on to become a doctor, specializing in Gastroenterology. He trained at Mt. Sinai and practiced in Brooklyn. He later decided to move to South Carolina. Sadly, my beautiful daughter passed away two years ago. My husband and I divorced after our children were grown. I later moved to North Shore Towers with a wonderful man, my significant other. We enjoyed a great life together in Building #1 until his untimely death. Suddenly, I was alone: no siblings, no children nearby and no close relatives. I buried my nose in books, reading two or three books every week. I discovered the NST Library and became their most frequent patron. Blossom Stone, the volunteer librarian at the time, asked if I would like to help. I loved working with the books and our residents. The Library helped fill the void in my life and I have been there ever since. When Blossom passed away in 2012, I was asked to take over. HOW DOES THE NST LIBRARY OPERATE? We do not buy any books. All our books are donated by residents. We screen the books, accepting only recent ones in good condition. Most of our titles are fiction with some non-fiction and many large print books. We operate on an honor system. Only two books are taken at one time and prompt return is encouraged. The Library is open from 7:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. We currently have more than 2000 books in our collection. The Nassau County American Legion take our duplicate copies or older titles to veterans in hospitals and nursing homes. It’s my 11th year in the Library, but I couldn’t do it alone. Our volunteer staff includes Jeri Cutler, Helene Cohen, Arlene Kelvin and Toby Domash. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FAVORITE GENRES OF OUR RESIDENTS? History, romance, and detective/spy novels mostly. We had our own police procedural detective story recently. Our large print books are much sought after, but few in number. We keep them in a locked bookcase. To our shock one morning, we came in to find someone had jimmied the lock and broken into the case. Many of our precious large print books were gone. Fortunately, there is a surveillance camera, which records 24/7, mounted in the room. Even more fortunate, we have Chris Stahly as our NST Security Director. He checked the tapes and studied the face of the man kneeling with tools in front of our bookcase. Chris then checked the faces of men leaving our complex in their cars. Bingo! He made a connection and followed the perp. He confronted him and a confession was made. The man was not a resident, but related to someone here. He was warned not to return, under penalty of arrest. He no longer appears on our tapes. Thank you, Chris! WHAT BOOK IS ON YOUR NIGHT TABLE NOW? You won’t find a Kindle. I like holding a real book in my hand as I read. Currently, I am partial to thrillers. I also like lawyer/ court room stories, especially those by John Grisham. His “Gray Mountain” is on my night table right now. ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR OUR HANDICAPPED READERS? Yes, contact the Glen Oaks Library at 718- 831-8636 or visit them on Union Turnpike and 256 Street. You can arrange to have them mail you books at no charge. When you are finished just give the book(s) to your building’s letter carrier for easy return. Have any recent books in good condition? Bring them down to the NST library and say, “Hello.” Model Meg Salwen in 1948 4 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ April 2017
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