Packing 150,000 books a one-woman job

There is less than a month, more than 150,000 books and only one person to pack them. Gwenyfar Rohler has begun the daunting task.

Last month she got word that the building that houses her store Daughtry’s Old Books on Front Street is condemned. Last week she found out she has to take all of the books out by herself. Because the building has been deemed unsafe, she is legally the only person allowed inside. In other words, she has to say, “No, thank you,” to the many people who have offered to help.

Many people have been dropping off boxes to help her with the move. With her dog ethan keeping her company, Rohler says she tries to keep herself entertained while she works.

“I also have been listening to a lot of the BBC and Royal Shakespeare Company productions,” she said. “You know, Othello is a great guy to pack boxes with. He’s got a lot of failings as a person, but he’s a great guy to pack boxes with.”

Rohler plans to be all packed up in two weeks. It’s then she says, she will take all the help she can get. She is temporarily moving the books into a storage basement a couple blocks down from her store.