About

Judith has been a bookseller for over twenty years. She served an apprenticeship in bookstores in Chicago and Boston before opening her own first bookstore, Zembla Books, in Davis Square,  Somerville, MA. When Judith and husband Ken (both self-employed) decided to get their own building, where they could have a large bookstore as well as living space, they looked to beautiful Western MA, where they found a sturdy and spacious 150-year-old chapel in South Deerfield that they knew was the place for them as soon as they walked in the door.

Judith writes a blog about the ups and downs of life as a bookseller:  http://heyjudetheobscure.wordpress.com

She also has discovered that she now has the room, the time, and the energy to return to one of her passions – making art. Recently she was awarded a grant from the Northampton Arts Council to help fund an ambitious multi-space exhibition during the month of January, 2014.

In the bookstore, Judith and her husband, Ken Haverly, keep an eclectic inventory of over 35,000 interesting used books in many categories, including world history, literature & literary criticism, cultural studies, fine arts, performing arts, natural history, and more — plus a selection of vintage prints.

Judith and Ken have stopped their rambling and plan to stay in the Pioneer Valley for a long, long time. The Valley is home to a diverse community of interesting people — writers, musicians, agricultural workers, entrepreneurs, artisans, activists, and academics — all of whom contribute to the Valley’s distinctive mix of hometown friendliness and cultural sophistication. And it’s a great place for books!