The annual Friends of the Library Book Fair is this weekend, eagerly awaited by bibliophiles, who seem to be bountiful in Oak Park. But the image on all the posters and promotional materials includes an pink electric typewriter, which prompted Kathleen LeMieux of River Forest to write in, saying, "Perhaps you can help me solve a small mystery ... Would you know why the library is announcing its Book Fair with a pink typewriter? Is it a typewriter famous in Oak Park? Did Ernie use a hot pink electric typewriter? It just seems odd that there is a typewriter rather than books, records, collectibles ... unless this specific typewriter is a collectible.

"I support and have participated in the Oak Park Library's Book Fair every year of its 36-year history. It is a wonderful event for the village, and I assure you that I am not making fun of the library's astounding efforts every year. But I feel as though I am being left out of some happy in-story or in-joke as regards the pink typewriter."

Not really, according to Debby Preiser, communications director at the library. They used it because they thought it was eye-catching. It's the first time they've used color, in fact, in Book Fair promotional materials. An in-house designer liked it, so they went with it. Preiser did, of course, point out that typewriters produce books-or used to anyway.

One item she asked us to mention: The traditional Friday night "Sooners" moment-when the doors open and book-lovers begin their mad scramble for tomistic treasures in the OPRF cafeteria-will take place at 6 p.m. this year, an hour earlier than the past.

One astute observer of the local scene recently pointed out to us that the last four library directors have had names which begin with the letter "B"-Barbara Ballinger, Carol Brey, Ed Byers and now newcomer Dee Brennan. We wondered if the string extended even before Ballinger, so we gave her a call. Her predecessor, however, was Lester Stoffel, who lives in Lisle (Ballinger is still in touch).

One physician who had a fair amount of "face time" with the press this past week was Dr. Myles Sheehan, personal physician to Cardinal Francis George, who underwent cancer surgery, followed by a second operation to close off some bleeding.

Dr. Sheehan happens to be Rev. Sheehan as well, a Jesuit priest who lives in Oak Park, from which he makes the short commute to Loyola Medical Center, where he serves as an administrator and a specialist in gerontology.

Dr. Father Sheehan also says Mass regularly at Ascension Church, and is known to be quite a fine homilist. The events of the past week will no doubt provide some interesting grist for future sermons.

John Mahoney, returns to TV this fall in a guest spot on ER, playing, of all things, a drag queen, according to an item in Bill Zwecker's column in the Sun-Times last week. According to Zwecker (a former Oak Parker and OPRF grad), Mahoney's character seeks legal authority for his dying partner's medical care. Zwecker notes that Mahoney has recently had health issues of his own to deal with.

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is better known for her acting prowess (films and TV, including a Best Supporting Actress nomination for The Color of Money), but she also happens to be a talented singer, as anyone who saw her in the lead role of Oklahoma at OPRF High School in the mid-'70s will attest. So even though some people might have been surprised to find her onstage in Millennium Park singing Sondheim last month, it wasn't out of character (or her range). Mastrantonio joined an ensemble of performers for "Sondheim in the Park" at Pritzker Pavilion, July 14 and 15, and more than held her own. She sang one solo, "Could I Leave You?" from Follies, then joined Liz Callaway and Judy Kaye on "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" from Company, "Getting Married Today" (also from Company) with Callaway and Bryan d'Arcy James, and "Move On" from Sunday in the Park with James. Our designated observer jotted in his notes, "Am no critic, but she has a fine, fine voice-pure and, when appropriate, strong."

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