By Clara Glendale | Beacon Writing Artist

“Please, Save Our Library!” a fall chili cook-off, book sale and sing-along, is set for noon-3 p.m. Saturday at Bass Lake Public/Private Library.

Proceeds go toward helping the library avoid becoming obsolete.

“This is a good way to get a taste of Bass Lake, buy some outdated books and DVDs, entertain yourself through music and try to keep a longtime local tradition afloat — specifically, the Dewey Decimal System,” said Karleena Wailer, head marketing manager at the library, in a predetermined statement.

Wailer resides in West Ohio, Indiana, with her partner and two children. Her family does not plan to attend the event.

Competitors for the chili cook-off:

• Laurel and Marty Princeworth, Beacon food columnists. Specialty: Easy no-fuss chili-melt stew.
• Grumpy Tate, owner, Grumpy’s Friendly Diner. Specialty: Omelet-and-egg chili.
• Food service temp-workers team, Bass Lake Elementary. Specialty: “Guesser’s Guess.”
• Clem Brickston, owner, Bass Lake Inn-Convenience Store. Specialty: Southwest-Mideast chili.
• Olden A. Goodway, clerk/treasurer, Bass Lake. Specialty: Just your basic chili.

Cash prizes will be awarded in several categories, including (1) Best Chili; (2) Least-Best Chili; (3) Most Original; (4) Other.

Awards are split 50-50 between each chili-team and the library (public portion only; private part is in no immediate peril, and is not open to non-members on day of the event).

Patrons are invited to sample each contestant’s chili, vote for their favorite, wander about, stare at the microfiche-reader in a nostalgic manner and buy used copies of Dr. Seuss classics.

Collectible editions of those books were made available by a former reference-desk clerk, as part of a 2012 severance package.

No details about the sing-along are considered relevant by organizers.

“That’s just something we tacked on at the last minute,” said one of the organizers.