As part of our business we spend a lot of time going through secondhand books and some of the things we find get me pondering, snickering and sometimes, a little annoyed. So here is a small list of suggestions of what not to do with your books…
- Names in books. Please, please, please if you’re selling or giving away a secondhand book don’t twink, black out or cut out a name that’s been written in the book. All you will do is make the book uglier and if you just leave your name there, I can say with a high level of confidence that you will NOT be stalked by subsequent purchasers. Even if you have at some point written your phone number on the first page, it is very unlikely that you will recieve a call at 2am asking for your opinion on whodunnit or complaining the book is no good. Trust me. Think of it as your little contribution to the book community, your own personal Golden Record.
- Dropping books in the bath. Every so often we receive books that have slightly ruffly pages, like paper that has been damp then dried. What’s happened to these books I wonder? Bath dropping? Puddle dropping? Children? It’s a mystery. Books and water – not a mix.
- Bookmarks. It’s amazing what people use as bookmarks. I have a small box filled with these finds, ranging from the mundane (business cards, boarding passes) to the personal (letters and family photos) to the “Previous owner should have REALLY checked this” ($20 note, photo of woman on a bed wearing only lingerie and a feather boa). And just recently I found my first CD in a book. It’s not part of the book and not supposed to be there. I just need a working CD drive to find out what’s on it (because I’m nosy alright?)! My advice – give your books a quick flick before you part with them. And lucky for you, if you buy a book from BookieMonster we’ll chuck in an extra special superdooper totally 100% free change your life BookieMonster bookmark. Phwoar, free stuff!
- Books as coasters. You have a mug of hot tea or coffee. Suddenly you have a task that requires two hands. But what to do with the mug? Where could you possible put it? On top of your book of course! Solve your mug problem and add an attractive brown ring to your book’s cover at the same time. Brilliant!
So what do you wish people wouldn’t do to books? What bookie habits make you cringe?
Are you going to take a photo of your bookmark box? Sounds very intriguing. Even better, catalogue them with which book they came in. Loads of fun trying to guess the character of the previous owner
Sounds like a fun job going through other people’s books and sometimes finding little treasures!
I like buying a secondhand book that has someone else’s name in it. Makes you feel like you have given a good home to a book someone else once loved enough to put their mark on it.
I’m a bath reader but have so far managed not to drop a book in the water. Magazines, yes, but I suppose I’m less careful.
@Su Yin – yes, I’m quite keen to actually try and put a book together with everything! Though at the moment I need a few more interesting things – 10 pages of boarding passes (they are by far the most common thing I find) might not be so exciting.
@Frisky Librarian – I have to confess I am a bath reader too, but so far no disasters. I can see it happening though.
And I too really like seeing other people’s names in books. I once bought a children’s book from an op shop, got home and opened it and found the name of a family member at the front (I also recognised the handwriting!).
That was a weird moment.
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@BookieMonster Ha, funny you should say that! I left some in a book last week. I also use used train tickets sometimes—anything so as not to dog-ear a book
Anything to avoid the dog-ears. Except food – I’ve heard librarian horror stories of finding large bits of food in books…
Like what, a slice of pepperoni? You are holding back all the juicy bits
Whole fried eggs apparently!
:O
“Oh yeah, totally forgot about breakfast when returning the books to the library …”
“It’s the darndest thing, I had my egg on me a minute ago…”