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“My mother and I used to publish 'The Country Shopper,'” she said. “I designed it and did the illustrations; my mom sold the ads. Eventually, we sold it. My mom opened Antiques and Tools of Business and Kitchen in Scotts Corners. I moved to California. But I missed the fun of the publication.”
Then Silbersher recalled the old Pound Ridge phonebook she had as a child. “It was a beautiful little thing, very local,” she said. “So I revived it and for the past 25 years, I’ve been publishing it annually.”
Silbersher compiles local addresses and phone numbers, adds a directory of civic information, designs and illustrates the book, and has it typeset on good paper, with a thick stock cover in a different color from year to year. Her mother, Joan Silbersher, takes orders for ads, all of which Ricky illustrates personally.
It is a painstaking procedure that takes about five months, “but it’s a labor of love,” she said. “I’ll keep at it till I’m a little old lady.”
“So many things in life are rigid and regulated, but this has its own personality and style. It’s doing its own thing,” she said.
Although more residents prefer to have private phone listings these days, others are happy to include their cell numbers as well, so the size of the booklet has remained constant.
Verizon does not share its information, so Silbersher consults local records, such as property transfers, to find out who bought or sold houses or what new businesses have opened in town.
Supporting her in her task have been a number of consistent advertisers through the years: Vogler Brothers, Marshall Oil, Churyk Pump and AC&S Excavating, among others.
“It’s a little later than usual this year,” Silbersher said, “because I’ve been traveling.” It will be out any day, though, so get ready to toss out last year’s edition and file the new “Little Book of Numbers” on your shelf.
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