The new Library in Strathmere.

This past Saturday I took a walk down to the new Schiavo Library to check it out and to join as a member. Dr. Rita C. Schiavo was from Philadelphia and her family had a long history, over 80 years, in Strathmere NJ. Her father and uncle were land developers there and they owned several homes and many lots. Following her death, Rita, who had no other living relatives, left her estate to the town of Strathmere to establish a library there, as a gift to the small community. It's been exciting watching the library be built and to hear of it's progress. It really feesl like Strathmere in the Library and I'm sure Rita would be very happy.

A photo of her in a 1960s cocktail dress hangs in the library and more vintage images of here will be hung too.
I went through many boxes of things from her estate, which were resold on this website over the past 3 years. In the library, there is a special display in this pretty case, showing momentos from the life of Rita Schiavo - a baby dress, a hat, photos and letters. The hat and baby dress were items that I had kept from Rita's things (I usually keep a few things from some estate clothing lots that I buy, to remember the person) I was asked if I still had any of Rita's items that I could lend for this display, and I was glad to provide the hat and baby dress.

Throughout the library are vintage images of Strathmere, which I was asked and very glad to provide from the Strathmere website's collection of photos. The images were matted and framed by a local man, and they will be changed throughout the year.


You can see more of the photos from inside of the Schiavo Library here -
http://strathmere.blogspot.com/2009/07/peek-inside-schiavo-library.html