As any of our regular customers at the friends Used Bookstore know, we are frequently modifying the arrangement of the shelves in a effort to get the best use of our space.
We are in the process of another change-come in and see the latest effort to maximize the space- some new shelves, some rearranged- as the work in progress continues...
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Monday, 27 January 2014
Sunday, 19 January 2014
'Mullables'
Here is a list of 'mullables' , otherwise known as conversation starters, for those folk interested in the "Kimberley Reads and Talks" event - See earlier post for info
Obviously, not every thought will apply to every book - these are just some ideas to stimulate thinking about your book and later to promote conversation.
These are thoughts to mull - written answers NOT needed!
--was the trust reasonable?
--was the betrayal real or perceived?
--was the betrayal a surprise to you as a reader?
--was there a moral dilemma involved?
--if you had been the truster, could your behavior have been different?
--were there consequences for the betrayer?
--was the betrayer remorseful?
--was there reconciliation and forgiveness?
--if you were the author, would you have created a different ending?
--how close to reality is the story?
--did it give you any insight into behavior?
--whose point of view was the story written from?
--was it a satisfying read?
Obviously, not every thought will apply to every book - these are just some ideas to stimulate thinking about your book and later to promote conversation.
These are thoughts to mull - written answers NOT needed!
--was the trust reasonable?
--was the betrayal real or perceived?
--was the betrayal a surprise to you as a reader?
--was there a moral dilemma involved?
--if you had been the truster, could your behavior have been different?
--were there consequences for the betrayer?
--was the betrayer remorseful?
--was there reconciliation and forgiveness?
--if you were the author, would you have created a different ending?
--how close to reality is the story?
--did it give you any insight into behavior?
--whose point of view was the story written from?
--was it a satisfying read?
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Something different at the Bookstore
Kimberley Reads…and Talks
TRUST & BETRAYAL
Join us for an evening of book-related conversation- not your typical book club, however.
We will each read a different book of our own choosing.
The only ‘catch’ is that it has to in some way be related to the evening’s theme.
Because our first get-together is close to Valentine’s Day, a love-related theme is in order- so chose a book that somehow relates to ‘trust and betrayal’ (not necessarily romantic), and come prepared for an informal conversation.
Space is limited, so sign-up early to be sure of a spot. There will be refreshments and a ‘desirable’ door prize-got ya guessing!
Call heather 250-427-5354 for more info.
Place: Friends of the Library Used Bookstore in Marysville
Date: February 12
Time:7-9
Cost: Free
What makes an appealing Used Bookstore
I guess the answers are as varied as used bookstore aficionados although there are two main camps. There are those who revel in an old, dim, dusty, crowded jumbled place, floor to ceiling books, with piles of books in the aisles.
They enjoy the thrill of the hunt - rummaging through boxes, searching behind the rows of books on shelves, climbing ladders to reach the very top. There is always one more box to root through, one more shelf to scan. They come with no specific book in mind-but something they know they ‘need’ when they see it.
It’s the slightly dusty, musty smell that gets the juices going, the dust mites dancing in the sun’s rays that lead them to the treasure.
The other extreme are those who get excited by shelves of books that are well organized and labelled.
All the books are off the floor, only one row of books per shelf. Ideally, the books in every category are in alphabetical order.
Shoppers often come with a specific title they ‘need’ to fill in a collection, or to read on the recommendation of a friend or book reviewer. They tend to be people looking for a bargain - a good current book at a fraction of the cost of a new book. They probably are on a tighter schedule than the ‘rummagers’.
Whatever the shopper preference-we at the Friends of the Library Used Bookstore love them all - and they will all find some elements to feed their passion for books.
We try to be organized-but don’t always succeed. There are often boxes of books to root through, and books in any order, some where they don’t seem to belong.
We have a theory about that- because we operate with a large team of volunteers with different views and interests, a book is often moved from one section to another- and that gives a shopper, especially a regular - more chances for serendipity to work!
Tuesday, 14 January 2014
All about weeding...
The question we are most often asked in the Friends Used Bookstore-is ‘Why on earth did the Library get rid of this book-it looks almost new!”
Because we had no answer, I talked with Karin von Wittgenstein, Library Director to find out how the decision to remove a book from the shelf was made.
First we talked about why weed at all: space is a big factor-in order for new books to be available, some have to be removed. New books need to be added to reflect the developing needs of the community, make most recent material available, and ensure an attractive display that promotes turnover.
The main point Karin made was that the decision to remove a book is not made lightly-it involves much thought, examination of the book from a number of perspectives.
Some reasons are obvious it is ugly, worn , torn, in disrepair, or there are more than 1 copy.
Some factors considered concern the book’s content- the information must be accurate and current, not outdated or misleading and relevant to the needs and interests of the community ( reflected in the number of times someone has taken the book out).
Some other factors are subjective-is the content trivial, of no discernable value, is it of local or historical interest. Perhaps another book providing better information on the topic has become available.
With fiction, the general rule-of thumb is to withdraw books with a copyright date older than 6 or 7 years, especially if it has had low circulation. That is why some of the books look so new. Books withdrawn with a recent copyright date are generally duplicates.
I also learned that the rarity of a book is a factor in the ‘to keep or not to keep’ decision. If there are few other copies available, it will be retained in the library’s collection.
Collectability, however, is not a major concern. I guess that’s where used bookstores come in!
Because we had no answer, I talked with Karin von Wittgenstein, Library Director to find out how the decision to remove a book from the shelf was made.
First we talked about why weed at all: space is a big factor-in order for new books to be available, some have to be removed. New books need to be added to reflect the developing needs of the community, make most recent material available, and ensure an attractive display that promotes turnover.
The main point Karin made was that the decision to remove a book is not made lightly-it involves much thought, examination of the book from a number of perspectives.
Some reasons are obvious it is ugly, worn , torn, in disrepair, or there are more than 1 copy.
Some factors considered concern the book’s content- the information must be accurate and current, not outdated or misleading and relevant to the needs and interests of the community ( reflected in the number of times someone has taken the book out).
Some other factors are subjective-is the content trivial, of no discernable value, is it of local or historical interest. Perhaps another book providing better information on the topic has become available.
With fiction, the general rule-of thumb is to withdraw books with a copyright date older than 6 or 7 years, especially if it has had low circulation. That is why some of the books look so new. Books withdrawn with a recent copyright date are generally duplicates.
I also learned that the rarity of a book is a factor in the ‘to keep or not to keep’ decision. If there are few other copies available, it will be retained in the library’s collection.
Collectability, however, is not a major concern. I guess that’s where used bookstores come in!