Ex Libris

Paper bookplates... 'Ex Libris' stickers... "From the Library of" -- these rectangular-shaped labels have always been interesting to me. I love to find vintage bookplates in used books... they're like a small announcement to the world at large that the person who once owned that book was truly a book-lover and appreciated every word printed on each page bound between the covers.

I spent part of last year searching for and collecting vintage Ex Libris stickers on eBay. There have been hundreds upon thousands of designs over the years (many of which I have posted on my Pinterest page titled Ex Libris) and the only limitation to bookplate design is one's own imagination and creativity.

When I first started the bookplate hunting on eBay, I couldn't decide which of my favorite designs to focus on. But then I got to thinking that there really isn't a rule that says I need to have just one design, and sometimes you simply have to break some long-standing rules anyway.

I found cat bookplates for my collection of cat books, which seemed to make perfect sense to me. For my collection of children's books, I found a design featuring a mama cat reading to her kittens-- once again, perfect sense. I wanted something British-looking for my collection of books by Beverley Nichols, and I came upon a bookplate picturing an open library window looking out onto a beautiful garden. (Nichols would be pleased with that selection.)  For my non-fiction books, I have two designs.... a vintage library with comfy chairs and book-filled shelves, and an old gentleman up on a library ladder engrossed in the book he chose from one of the top shelves. For my books on the Royal Family and British History, I have bookplates featuring a very English-looking library complete with cozy flames in the fireplace.  The bookplates for my Christmas books picture a little mouse asleep in his bed, which is just plain cute.  And for my collection of fiction, I have a whimsical assortment of bookplates featuring cats and books and library shelves.

I found more than enough bookplates during my eBay search last summer... and then in mid-September, we got our puppy Savannah (who is now 10 months old). While we were on puppy-time, not only was my reading time more limited, but my bookplate-pasting time was non-existent. Until now.

Every day for the past few weeks, I've spent some time up in my third floor library with my books and bookplates... one shelf at a time, as time (and puppy) allows.  I've completed the non-fiction side of the library.... all of those prized and very cherished books now have their unique bookplates.  The next time I'm free to play in the library, I will begin on the fiction side, starting in the cute little "Children's Corner."

My husband thought I'd lost my mind last year when I told him about my quest for bookplates. He knows that I very rarely let anyone borrow my books. I give extra copies of good books away all the time, but I 'lend' very very few.  My own books may leave the third floor, but they hardly ever go out on our own porch, much less go to someone else's porch. Even when my husband borrows one of my books, all sorts of rules go along with him:  Don't leave the book on the floor. Never bring the book into a bathroom. Do not bring the book to work. Never bring my book on a business trip. Do not use my book as a coaster, a plate, or a doorstop. Never leave my book close to an open bottle of soda or a cup of coffee. And if you value your life, do not ever fold down a corner of a page or use either flap of the dust-jacket as a bookmark.

As a result of all of the above, my husband very rarely borrows my books. He says I'm like The Library Of Congress-- too many rules.

"But some of my really good books cannot be easily replaced," I told him.
"You don't need a library filled with books... all you need is a Kindle... and then you wouldn't even need bookplates," he replied.

Well. Where's the fun in that?

Besides that, if we ever have to live in a world without electricity, I can always read my books, but his Kindle thing would just be a dead piece of plastic.