Nice People Thread No. 14, all Nice and Proper

vivatifosi

Doozergirl wrote: »

I put my books in colour order once. Never again.

A chap once came in and said he wanted a book that he had seen in our library. When we asked which one, he said he wasn't sure what it was called, but it was green and rectangular.

Your scheme is the only one I can think of where finding said item would actually have been possible.


It's interesting. Working in a public library you get much more involved in the lifecycle of books. Through extended use, library books 'die' in a way that books at home don't. When you get used to killing off books that are on their last legs (loose or falling out pages, damaged spines, torn covers, dirt, etc) you become much less attached to the ones you have at home.

Unless you collect priceless first editions, there are very few books that have a high second hand value. Those that do tend to be university texts, business books and more highbrow non-fiction types.

I buy virtually no new books now, but have a good idea what is coming out seeing as I get to see the list of all new reasonably popular non-fiction as well as reading the Bookseller. People spend a fortune on new hardbacks, or even popular paperbacks, but a few months in and they can be bought for pence, even in good condition. The more popular they are, the lower their worth. Mass market paperbacks and quite a few hardbacks sell for 1p plus postage secondhand.

As a result, I used to have a room of books but now have a need for just a bookshelf. Favourite recipes, books that I enjoyed reading for Uni, plus a few signed ones and everything else can be either a) borrowed from a library, b) found electronically for low or no cost or c) found from Abe Books or Betterworld Books for not very much money. But I do have to accept that the romantic notion of owning my own books is over.

Doozergirl

I did laugh out loud at the green book

I feel a bit better after seeing your thoughts. I don't have room for the few books that I do buy now, most are on Kindle. Despite losing three good sized boxes, I'm surprised at how little overall impact it has had so far.

I'm quite looking forward to the idea that I will genuinely love all of them.

silvercar

We have 2 book cases full of books, we don't even look at them. I reckon we could get rid of 80% without any sorrow.

lostinrates

vivatifosi wrote: »

A chap once came in and said he wanted a book that he had seen in our library. When we asked which one, he said he wasn't sure what it was called, but it was green and rectangular.

Your scheme is the only one I can think of where finding said item would actually have been possible.


It's interesting. Working in a public library you get much more involved in the lifecycle of books. Through extended use, library books 'die' in a way that books at home don't. When you get used to killing off books that are on their last legs (loose or falling out pages, damaged spines, torn covers, dirt, etc) you become much less attached to the ones you have at home.

Unless you collect priceless first editions, there are very few books that have a high second hand value. Those that do tend to be university texts, business books and more highbrow non-fiction types.

I buy virtually no new books now, but have a good idea what is coming out seeing as I get to see the list of all new reasonably popular non-fiction as well as reading the Bookseller. People spend a fortune on new hardbacks, or even popular paperbacks, but a few months in and they can be bought for pence, even in good condition. The more popular they are, the lower their worth. Mass market paperbacks and quite a few hardbacks sell for 1p plus postage secondhand.

As a result, I used to have a room of books but now have a need for just a bookshelf. Favourite recipes, books that I enjoyed reading for Uni, plus a few signed ones and everything else can be either a) borrowed from a library, b) found electronically for low or no cost or c) found from Abe Books or Betterworld Books for not very much money. But I do have to accept that the romantic notion of owning my own books is over.

Not all books can be bought cheaply second hand ...at least , not when you want them. I really love Catherynne M Valente, and when I started reading her wanted EVERTHIMG in the flesh THEN. ( ok, not the children's work, which is also very good though I had mixed feelings about it at the time) but the adult work...well, not all of it maybe, but lots of it. SOme of the prices coming up were crazy.

I haven't looked for a long while, because I'm not looking, gulp, but it saw Deathless, while I was flicking through my elibrary earlier and gasped with joy and thought 'neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed'. They are even books i might consider special copies of, and I usually hate hard backs.

Hmm, maybe it would get something out of covering my favourite books in covers I felt befitting and that had NO fly jackets. Deathless could have a little red and black velvet cover. please god, save me from a new obsession. :eek:

LydiaJ

Sending thoughts and hugs and prayers for Yorkie's family.

CKhalvashi

Congrats Spirit and Silver!

Sorry to hear about the dog Lydia

I'm away again at the moment, so won't be around as much. I know it seems like I'm always on holiday, but with the amount of work we do, we really need the breaks!

PasturesNew

lostinrates wrote: »

Not all books can be bought cheaply second hand ...at least , not when you want

Yes, books you want to buy cost £20-25. Books you want to sell are valued at £0.01

Nikkster

Ok, photo time
Apologies they're not cropped so might mess up the pages. Been a busy evening so now on phone rather than laptop.

Will delete:
(Deleted)

lostinrates

silvercar wrote: »

We have 2 book cases full of books, we don't even look at them. I reckon we could get rid of 80% without any sorrow.

Yesterday sat on the floor with a friend looking through some books. Suggested this as bad is for inspiration for online research. Friend borrowed four of the books after we thumbed though about a dozen and a half.

Today fir and I started the day with a quick read of a section of one book, and later a look at another.

I pondered over whether I could justify purchase of book of particular artist who I don't know but looks interesting and decided probably not

The weekend G referenced a few for inspiration culinarily and musically. . I perused into a couple of cook/ food books with preserving in mind and looked up a couple of things in flavour thesaurus for confirmation or validation and found it lacking.

I dipped into one my brother in law sent me ( omg, we're still getting on!) and I'm loving, but eeking out. Its little vignettes, so works to do that.

There is no doubt our book usage has dropped tremendously with ebooks and before that Internet, but they are still safe here a while longer I feel.

Nikkster

GDB2222 wrote: »

I notice that men have been getting a hard time on this forum recently (absolute sh1ts that we no doubt are), but we do have our uses when it comes to unblocking drains and the like.

Since buying my house my taste in men has changed. I find myself eyeing up men in white vans and find workmen with those rugged-type braces strangely attractive.

I've got 5 rooms that aren't kitchen or bathroom (3 beds, separate living and dining rooms). 6 if you count the falling down lean to.