Re-homing Bridge Books, as in the card game/duplicate bridge

May 22, 2015 9:57 PM

My Dad is heading to hospice, and one of his passions while I was a child is bridge. He amassed a library of books - 15 linear feet or so - for this card game beginning in 70's-80's, with a few more recent titles. (Details below)

He had a regular partner for duplicate bridge and taught Bridge at a community college for several semesters. These physical books are in Maryland, and most of the early ones are stamped with his name. We'd like to find them a good home, but none of us kids plays outside of family, so we don't know what's out there - like a bridge group in search of a library, or if it's a better idea to do something else. What should we do with these books? All ideas are welcome, however we really don't have funds for shipping.

posted by childofTethys to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (9 answers total)

Best answer: I wonder if someone at the American Contract Bridge League might be interested in helping find them a permanent home. Sorry to hear about your dad.
posted by aniola at 10:46 PM on May 22, 2015

The National Museum of Play, maybe?
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:04 PM on May 22, 2015

Perhaps a local retirement community would like to have them (and maybe be willing to mount a little plaque honoring the donation in your father's name).
posted by Etrigan at 5:07 AM on May 23, 2015

I'm very sorry about your dad.

I'm sure you can find a local bridge club. Every bridge club I've been in has a lending library for members, and I'm sure would appreciate the books.
posted by gaspode at 8:26 AM on May 23, 2015

Oh, if he has a regular duplicate partner, then he must play at a club! Easy. Talk to someone there.
posted by gaspode at 8:27 AM on May 23, 2015

Response by poster: He stopped playing over a decade ago, and we moved just about everything else yesterday with no recent information on club who/wheres. We'll keep looking.
posted by childofTethys at 7:00 AM on May 24, 2015

If you share the geographic location of the books, perhaps someone can help you find a local club. I'm not super familiar with the duplicate bridge scene but I do play in a club occasionally and I know the right search terms.
posted by serelliya at 10:18 AM on May 24, 2015

Response by poster: We talked with him a bit, and found an ACBL card in his wallet yesterday that says he is a Life Master. He worked at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland and played near there and in tournaments. The books are near Baltimore and were his personal library.

ACBL has been contacted, but no leads, yet.
posted by childofTethys at 9:29 AM on May 26, 2015

If the ACBL doesn't get back to you promptly (I have no idea how well-run the central org is), try directly contacting a few bridge clubs in the area. Calling is probably better than email. Here's the info for one from this list of ACBL Maryland clubs:

Aberdeen Duplicate BC
Mr John D Powell
410-272-9173
[e-mail]

Or from another listing:

Bridge Club of Baltimore
1319 Bedford Ave
Kathy Felock
410-415-6885
[e-mail]

If he can tell you the name of the club he played at regularly, even better. He must have played quite a lot to attain Life Master status, so I'm sure some people there would remember him. Bridge clubs tend to be small groups of people who know each other well.
posted by serelliya at 1:08 PM on May 28, 2015