Dumpling in a Hanky

One regular occurrence, no matter what the age of your collection, is finding a book in need of some sort of repair. Whether it's become overheated and dried out, with random pages falling out, or if it's "shelled itself", with the whole cover block detaching from the pages, there's always a book that needs some attention. My problem is that I'm not skilled enough in this area to know what sort of repairs are possible, and where the line is between me being able to do some basic repairs, and when a book needs to be sent off to the book binders for some expert attention.  Luckily, the binders we usually use, Downie Allison Downie, run a variety of classes on all elements of book making and repair. My colleague and I were able to go along to one of these classes recently, carrying a few sad examples each of books in need of repair. The way we spilt the carrying weight, I had the hardbacks with me, and my colleague had paperbacks in various states of dirti...

Recently, I bought one of those Ladybird parody books - what life wouldn't be enhanced by learning about shed usage? However, this copy came with a slight design flaw. Can you spot it? Did you see it? Unfortunately, this slight flaw meant I needed to make a trip back to the bookshop to return it, and swap it for a book that worked as a...well...book! *sigh*

I've just read this blog post about a new subscription model for content on e-readers, based on the fact that: "We have statistically calculated the average consumption for tablet users and smartphone users, which is lower than one book per month,' Now, I'm not entirely sure which tablet or smartphone users they based their prediction on, but I know that my reading levels have definitely gone up since getting an e-reader. Now, I not only am buying books frequently from charity shops, but I'm downloading free, cheap and even full-price e-books, depending on the urgency of my desire to read them (e.g.if I read the first part of a trilogy and enjoyed it, I'd be highly likely to download the second and third parts, regardless of price, if I really wanted to keep going with the flow of the books). In November, I realised I'd read (at a conservative estimate, as I don't keep much track of the physical books I read, but I do have a "Read" file ...

Yay, the artist behind the mysterious book sculptures that appeared in Edinburgh last year is back, and everyone has a chance to find (and keep) one of her gorgeous sculptures! As this story in the Edinburgh Evening News relates, next week is Book Week Scotland, and each day next week, the Scottish Book Trust website will be revealing a clue to the location of a sculpture, hidden somewhere in Scotland. Once it's found, the original sculpture will stay where it is, but the finder will get their own sculpture. Wait: does that mean they've actually made 10 new book sculptures? Anyway, sounds like splendid fun to me: I'll be keeping a beady eye on the Scottish Book Trust site for clues. I wonder if they'll have a hashtag to go with it, so everyone can join in with the hunt, wherever they are? #bookhunt? #bookchase?

Book Here it is.  The most expensive item (book or otherwise) that I have ever seen on Etsy.  Click through, go and see the price for yourselves. When you're done, come back here: I'll have a stiff drink ready for you.

And (almost) the last part of this epic series of library related items on Etsy...check back tomorrow for the Grand Finale - a single item, of epic expensiveness! Feel free to guess in the comments below about just how expensive the item I'm going to post will be! :D Dewey decimal charm bracelet Library cats fabric Scrabble tile necklace Book letter Wood chip earrings Library card pouch Library card catalogue drawers Individual card catalogue drawer What would Jane do? sign Fabric storage basket Oxford Library scented candle Library books fabric Library hair comb Library book burp cloth Notecard Vintage book bookmarks Pillow Library mouse customised stamp Library bag  Badge  Stamped phrase bracelet Narwhal stamp