My Name is Emily, and I am a Book Nerd

At three years old I began suffering from an affliction that affects thousands of people in the United States; I became a book nerd. My "gateway book" was a board book about a little baby that my mom read to me every night. I loved the book so much that I learned to "read" it. (Really, I just memorized the words and when it was time to turn the page.) I was hooked. Once my mom realized what I had done, she  began teaching me the alphabet, which I mastered with practice (you could call her an enabler). When I began Kindergarten, the addiction was solidified.

Since my introduction to books, I have never been cured. Though my mother tried to keep me from reading in inappropriate places (the dinner table, church, under the covers after bedtime), I never kicked the habit. Board books led to The Boxcar Children, Encyclopedia Jones, and Little House on the Prairie. As my addiction worsened, and I began reading more hardcore stuff, like Harry Potter and The Giver. I went to junior high, and my teachers introduced me to literature, which soon led me to works by George Orwell and  J.R.R. Tolkien. My high school obsession with The Lord of the Rings was probably my lowest point,  as I read the books over and over again to soak up as much of Middle Earth as possible.

In my undergrad I read less, because in college, who has time to read for fun? After I graduated I had the startling realization, "I can read whatever I want again!". This new freedom to explore genres that I hadn't read in years was exhilarating. I read philosophy, fantasy, politics, science, new books, and old books. I keep a list of all the books I read each year, and enjoy looking through them and remembering everything I learned. This year, I am challenging myself to read one book a week. I am already behind, but that's okay, because my addiction will see me through!

Books make me feel something that I can't get anywhere else. I am a book-sniffer, and never a page-folder. I love to touch books, read books, collect books, and give books as gifts. I love libraries, books stores, and home collections. I dream of someday having a library with a ladder (this is probably my #1 goal in life).

When I have a ladder in my library, my life will be complete.

 I love books, and I love people who love books. Book nerdom is an addiction I hope to never overcome!

If you are a book nerd, please join my support group by leaving a comment about your own struggles with book addiction.

Holiday Book Crafts

B-Logistics loves any project that re-purposes a book and keeps it out of the landfill, and what better way than to make book crafts as holiday gifts and decorations? Today we will look at some of our favorite book-related crafting projects, and give you a little holiday inspiration! Click on the pictures for full tutorials.

Miniature Books

These bite-sized books look cute enough to eat! They are great as personalized ornaments, for a little girl's dollhouse, or as jewelry charms.They are super easy to make, and only require a few materials that most people will have lying around the house.

Book Page Magnets

What better to hold up the week's shopping list than an adorable set of magnets featuring passages from your favorite books? The tutorial warns that you have to be willing to "murder" a book in order to complete this project, so head to your local thrift store to find copies that you don't plan on reading in the future. 

Advent Calendar

Make your own holiday advent calendar using this tutorial. All you need are basic paper-cutting supplies, some glue, and your imagination! Fill these little sachets with treats for your children (or yourself), and count down the days 'til Christmas in homemade style!

I hope that these crafts inspired you to make your own book-related gifts and decorations this year? What are your favorite holiday crafts? Tell us in the comments.

California or Bust

This past weekend the B-Logistics team headed to San Jose, CA to exhibit at the California Library Association's Annual Conference. The theme of this year's conference was "Defying Gravity: Libraries Without Limits". This was my first conference with a state library association, and it was a very educational experience. It is always amazing to talk to librarians in person about their discards and donations--it reminds me that American libraries are independent and unique in how they handle problems and make decisions. Each library is different, which makes me proud to work for a company that can help so many of them with a problem that many libraries today face; how to make revenue off their weeded and donated materials while their Friends of the Library groups are diminishing. This is not to say that all Friends groups are going away, I spoke with many librarians who raved about the effectiveness and enthusiasm of their Friends. But for those libraries who are facing changes to how they normally dealt with their unwanted books, I am glad that B-Logistics is there to help.

Webinar Opportunity: Weeding Your Library Collection

On Thursday, September 20th, B-Logistics founder Bart Crawford will partner with Bowker and Library Journal to present a webinar on how to weed efficiently while still keeping the core collection intact for your students, faculty, and other researchers. Aimed at academic libraries, this informative webinar is sure to provide valuable information on how to best use Bowker products for large weeding projects.

B-Logistics has joined Bowker as a logistics partner to facilitate a turn-key library program. With Bowker’s software, libraries may efficiently analyze, weed and preserve their collection. After selecting and culling specific titles, libraries may turn over physical handling of weeded materials to B- Logistics for responsible management. Through software-managed logistics and e-commerce, B-Logistics Resells, Redistributes or Recycles these materials on behalf of its library partners. 

To attend the webinar, sign up at http://prq.st/bowkerweedingwebinar.

To learn more about working with B-Logistics, visit www.blogistics.com. 

 

Getting the Donations You Need

Welcome to part two of our series on improving your library or Friends of the Library book sale! Today we will discuss how to get the community donations you need to sustain book sales.

Libraries and Friends of the Library groups work together to sell weeded materials as well as books donated by the community in order to financially support library programs. Each relationship is unique to each library; some FOL's only sell donations and some sell a combination.Whatever the situation, almost all FOL's face issues related to donations. Sorting, organizing, recycling, and storage space are necessary when dealing with donations, and can pose a huge hurdle to many small libraries and FOL groups. One way to diminish these problems is by communicating specific book needs to the community. By telling the public what sells best at sales (and thus best supports their library), you can cut volunteer hours as well as boxes of useless materials from your storage closets.

First, you must determine what types of books you do and do not want. If your library has the capacity to handle all types of books, that's great! But many have space restrictions, so limiting what comes in can help. At your next sale, pay attention to what sells best. Generally the most popular books are children’s, popular fiction (NYT Bestsellers), and genre-specific non-fiction (cookbooks, craft books, nature books). Sometimes it is easier to look at what never sells, and simply ask that donations of those types of books are taken elsewhere, like a local thrift store or recycling company. Computer books, textbooks, law books, and magazines are all materials that go out of date quickly. These are less likely to sell at your book sale, and more likely to take up precious storage space following a sale.


Once you have decided what types of books you want you must get the information out there. For all book donation needs, communication is key!  Many people in your community may not even realize that the library takes donations of books. Make sure that there is information on your library and FOL websites informing visitors that yes, donations are accepted. Here you can include your list of wanted/unwanted materials, so that people can sort out anything you have decided not to accept. Make sure to also include where donations can be dropped off, and what times. Explain the list on your blog, Tweet it, and post it on your Facebook page. Ask for donations through local radio, and direct people towards your website for more information. Create flyers or postcards to place at the circulation desk. You want the community to know that you are interested in their books, and that there are certain ones that will help the library the most!


If your library or FOL still struggles to handle incoming donations after specifying which books you do and no not want, consider working with B-Logistics. We don't require sorting, scanning, or special boxes when you send us your materials. Visit www.blogistics.com today to see if B-Logistics is a good fit for you!

Advertising Your Book Sale

Today we are starting a series of ideas for improving a library or Friends of the Library book sale. Each topic will cover a new area, along with relevant resources and websites. The first topic, which we will cover today, is; Advertising  Your Book Sale.

People who frequent libraries are not the only ones in a community interested in buying books. Many people love to browse used book sales, but miss out because they did not know the sale was happening. Advertise outside the library as well as within! With flyers in public spaces, announcements in local papers and on local radio shows, and large signs outside the library announcing the sale, you are sure to draw in new people who do not frequent the library on a regular basis. Some great places to advertise are coffee shops, malls, bowling alleys, pet stores, and other small businesses. Use Google Maps' "Search Nearby" function to seek out these types of establishments around your library. Divide up locations between willing volunteers, and spend a day hanging up flyers (with the owner's permission, of course). Flyers can easily be made using Microsoft Word, and only need the words "Used Book Sale" and the price ranges of the books (along with all other relevant information) in order to entice the book worms of your community!

At your next sale you can collect e-mails of anyone interested in e-mail announcements of future sales and other FOL activities. You can also use this e-mail list to ask for more volunteers when necessary, and for general communication with the people who support you in your community. E-mail lists are a great way to get the word out, especially if you ask that recipients forward the sale announcements to anyone they think would be interested. 

Another great way to advertise your sales is through social media and other online outlets. Announce a sale in the weeks leading up on all social media platforms, but focus most of your attention on the ones with the most active members. If your library or FOL has a blog, this is a perfect place to start, since it can give all the details and easily be shared through Facebook and Twitter. You can also list your sale on websites like Book Sale Finder, which maintains a calendar of book sales, and will alert subscribers when book sales are happening within a prescribed distance of their home.

We hope that these ideas were helpful! What is your library or FOL doing to advertise book sales? Let us know in the comments!

Helpful Links:

E-mail Sign-Up Sheet and Advertising Templates Microsoft.com

Finding Local Businesses Google Maps

Going Out in a New Coat and Old Shoes

It's interesting to think about B-Logistics at ALA this year and last.  We've seen lot's of change over eleven-plus years as a library partner, but it all seems a bit accelerated recently.  Doesn't it...or is it our imagination?

B-Logistics has undergone significant change prior to each of the last two ALA shows.  Prior to New Orleans last June, we were acquired by a much larger software and logistics company and expanded our operational presence tenfold across the country.  This year, prior to Anaheim, that same larger, acquiring company re-branded itself Discover Books (www.discoverbooks.com and http://www.blogistics.com/b_logistics_pr_06-12-2012.php) and made deeper commitments to books, literacy, libraries and social good in general.

But, B-Logistics' steps seem merely reflective of a faster pace of change in Library World at some base level.  Libraries remain community pillars to be sure, but all the variables in their world seem to be evolving more quickly.  Funding.  Technology. Volunteerism.  Facilities.  And so on.

E-books are here...for better and worse.  The economic climate remains challenging.  Friends groups have never been stronger, or never more obsolete, depending on who you ask.  Kiosks may be the new branches, and the internet may kill the bookmobile.  It all makes for a swirling stew in a pressure cooker.  That's exciting and terrifying all at once!

While the library's role as a community hub and repository of information and learning is safe (arguably more important than ever), is the model changing radically?  If it's only the same incremental change that we've seen for years, decades and centuries, should we encourage radical change in an effort to make libraries the community vanguard again?