UCO Book Sale Report

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Last night I attended the 8th annual FOL sale benefiting the University of Central Oklahoma Library. I've visited the UCO campus a couple times before, and never the library. So I started in the visitor lot (mistake) and wondered around. There are no maps posted, so I relied on the kindness of students hanging around to point the library out. The Max Chambers library is in the Northwestern quarter of campus.

It was friends day, so I joined at the door. Membership levels start at $5, which is quite a bargain! Books were shelved along general topical lines. You know, environmental law in gardening, etc. I arrived at the end of the evening, long after the afternoon rush, so it was a little rummaged, but I still found some great books. There was a good mix of newer and older, hardback and paperback, ex-library and donated. Prices are very reasonable, and of course, go to a good cause. Follow the link at the top of the post for all the nitty-gritty.

Also, I found a flyaway for the record books. Flyaways are the stuff found in books. Usually postcards, receipts, etc. Well, this was nothing like that. The book published 1889, in cloth with a shaken spine and hinges starting. There seemed to be a good sized pebble or something in the spine. I tried to peek down the back strip-- something was down there alright, but I couldn't see what. I delicately prodded it with my Parker Jotter popping the invader loose. It clunked out on the shelf-- a chocolate chip. Whole and unsullied. Weird.

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The Eloquence of ER Wyatt

Originally uploaded by Exile Bibliophile

There are many beautiful bookplates. Ive seen scores of eloquent ex libris. You can enjoy many such ownership labels over at the Bookplate Junkie blog every Sunday. This label isn't much to look at, but I love it. I don't know ER Wyatt, but I think we have some things in common. I found this label in an obscure railroad title at that FOL sale a couple weeks ago. It was taped to the bottom of the front flap of the dust jacket. I almost didn't notice it. I grinned, tucked it under my elbow to prowl some more.




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Library Strike Alternative

toothpastefordinner.com



If that strike doesn't work, there is always the efforts of patrons. We do what we can.

Book Sale on the Horizen

To the best of my knowledge, the biggest local booksale is coming fast! I'm already excited, eyeing my calendar for time I can sneak away from work and slink out to the Oklahoma City fair grounds.

I officially dropped the ball on re-uping my membership in the Metro Library Friends group. I'll have to get down to the sale early Friday afternoon to renew and get my tickets for the Friends sale Friday evening. That is really the key to getting the first semi-public whack at the books. Friday night is when all the dealers come out. Last year was nice. People were mostly well behaved. There were a lot of pros in the ranks and several ISBN (I sell by numbers) sellers as well. Prices were good, people were nice, the event was well organized. What else could a bibliophile hope for? I love a good book sale.

Last year I tried to figure out how to attract local bibliophiles to a book collecting club. Since I knew no one then, I made up these little slips of paper with my email on the front and a little blurb on the back and the url for the little website I threw together. I would toss these little slips on the tables, especially in the better books room of the sale. I'd also stick them inside the front cover of books I had looked at but passed on. About one quarter of all books at the sale are in the better books area, so it's huge.

Did it work? No. But, it wasn't a total loss. I did get a spike in traffic on the little website. Over the course of a few months I would take some of the slips of paper to book stores in the area and do the same.

This year I've put this one together and will try and print some up. On the back would be a short blurb and the url. I'm also using this on Flickr, posting it around hoping to drum up some interest. What do you think?

For those who want to know, the inaugural meeting of the Bibliophiles of Oklahoma will take place Thursday, March 13th 2008. Please contact me for time and place. All you need is a love of books.