Photograph by Robert Scheer
Saratogan Anne Louden, chair of Villa Montalvo's Library Committee, is the person largely responsible for restoring the villa's library and building a book collection which would be authentic and reminiscent of Sen. James Phelan's library. The original Phelan Library contained some 1,500 books. At this time, more than 800 have been collected, and many of them are on temporary loan, Louden said. Many of Sen. Phelan's books, identified by a bookplate, are in private collections, Louden added. But Montalvo is seeking to replicate his collection and welcomes donations from the period up to 1930. A book fair was held at Montalvo on April 5 to raise funds for the Phelan Library.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, April 9, 1997.
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