
Shelf Notes
November, 2023 - Issue #6
Book Covering
From Sherry Early, Meriadoc Homeschool Library (with before and after pictures)
Covering your books with dust jackets and Mylar plastic is NOT a necessary prerequisite to opening your library. I loaned books with and without dust jackets and with and without plastic covering over those that had dust jackets for many years, and very few, if any, of the books or the dust jackets were damaged or torn. Don't wait until you have everything in your library perfectly protected , designed, and beautiful before you start loaning books.
However, some of my books do need help! Some are starting to show wear, and others are just plain ugly. So I am finding great satisfaction in covering some of these books with dust jackets and plastic. I am taking a couple of approaches to obtaining dust jackets for those books that need covers but don't already have them.
First of all, did you know that you can make your own book jackets? Here's a simple step-by-step article at The Card Catalog that shows you how to do that.
I have also asked a local high school homeschool art teacher if her students would like to design book covers for some of my ugly books using their own original lettering and artwork. The art teacher and the students were all very excited about this project, although I have yet to see the finished product. If you try this in your local homeschool community, let us know how it works out.
I'm finding it quite satisfying to beautify some of my books and give them some "curb appeal." If you are in a place in your library journey where you can do the same, I invite you to join me. A new fresh look on an old tired book is an invitation in itself. And the ideas contained within some of those old books are as fresh and alive as they ever were and so needed today!
Michelle Howard's Library Orientation Interview
This summer at the Plumfield Moms podcast, we had the joy of speaking with Michelle Howard about her role in helping to launch the private lending library movement. As so many of us know, Michelle is dynamic, passionate, wise, principled, and articulate. Talking with her will supercharge any librarian's batteries! In fact, our interview with her is the most listened to Plumfield Moms episode of all time (with the Landmark Books episodes right behind). After that interview aired, however, the questions started pouring in. People wanted to know two things in particular: what was the library talk that she gives to her patrons and how did she compose the portfolio for her Hillsdale College-bound student from a living books education. So, we had the privilege of having her back on the show. Last month we recorded two more episodes with Michelle. In that conversation we realized that we need to make a video that librarians can use with their patrons showcasing the difference between commonly found modern books and living books with the same topics. When that video comes out (hopefully later this fall), we will link it on The Card Catalog and notify you in here!
Patron Authored Book Reviews
"The librarian deftly rechecked the book for Anna. “I’ve just got a new one in this week, Edmund. I wonder if you might like to be first reader with it?” Edmund liked the role of “first reader”—of first anything, come to that." - A Place to Hang the Moon, Kate Albus
Even if you are the most dedicated reader, it can be hard to read and preview every book in your library. Sometimes we have to trust recommendations from trusted sources and, sometimes, we trust special patrons to do some previewing for us. In my (Sara's) library, I have been leaning more and more heavily on a crew of special tween and teen patrons to preview books that I have acquired from trusted sources. I let them be "first reader," like Edmund in A Place To Hang the Moon, and they let me know what they think of the book. And, some of them have started writing reviews of the books they are reading, and we publish those on our website under the label of Plumfield Kids. My patron families know to go and check those reviews when they are curious about a book.
All Things Gary D. Schmidt
Gary D. Schmidt is a prolific living author who has been honored with the Newberry Medal and Honor. While he writes in many genres and for a range of ages, his most popular books are middle grade fiction often featuring real life scenarios for boys. Many of us here at the Card Catalog love Gary D. Schmidt's writing because it is real and gritty while also being hopeful and inspiring. His characters feel so alive that you swear you know that kid that he is writing about. And the outcome of the story is always hope-filled and full of truth, even if it is a hard journey getting there. In the last few months, we have been reading and writing reviews of nearly all of his children's books, and we have hosted a number of podcast book clubs on some of his best. And, earlier this month, we had the joy of speaking with him about the stories behind the stories. It is our hope that our reviews can help you to curate your own Gary D. Schmidt collection and make sure that your books are getting checked out to the right patrons at the right time. You can find our page for him here.
Welcome to the New Libraries and Librarians
We welcome three new libraries to our community of private lending libraries listed in the Private Lending Library Directory at Biblioguides:
- CozyCorner Books in Clarksville, TN, is open for lending 24 hours a day. Librarian, Toni Thomas.
- The Book Nook in Erlanger, KY is slated to open in January, serving families in the Cincinnati tri-state area (KY, IN, OH). Librarian, Bethany Burnett.
- Helen Living Library in Helen, West Virginia opened in January of 2022 as a FREE community library for Helen and the surrounding area. "As a homeschooling mom of 17 years, it was and is my desire and hope to share my learned love of books with others. Stories shape us - having the potential to make us brave and kind, empathetic toward our neighbors, more attuned to the world around us, and sometimes they just offer us joy." Librarian, Amanda Moore.
Podcast for Librarians
In our October episode of Our Librarian Life, Kristi tells us about her recent gaylord adventure, Sherry tells us about the "few bags" of donations that ended up on her driveway, Diane tells us about her first library patrons signing their names on a precious index card to check out their first books, and Sara is grateful for her little helpers. Listen in to our second episode of Our Librarian Life here.
Kristi Shopping in the Gaylord
Sherry's Bag Drop
News and Notes
- Elizabeth Jones of Covenant Family Library in West Virginia is hosting a Living Books for Christmas event in her library on December 1st. "Anyone who stops by Covenant Family Library on December 1 can pick a free paperback off my For Sale shelves. Bring all your kids! Bring your friends! Books for everybody! While supplies last "
- The Book Bus in Decatur, TX is fully funded, and volunteers are preparing the bus and the books for opening soon. Congratulations to all those who helped with this project so far, and blessings on The Book Bus and its future patrons.
- Living Book Press Pre-Black Friday sale is now live! 20% off all LBP titles, 15% off the wonderful ebooks from Rachel Bubb, 40% off CM audiobooks! Sale ends November 19th.
- Purple House Press: Sale ends November 30th. 20% off New Releases.
- Smidgen Press: Smidgen Press has a 15% off coupon on their site, FALL15. Additionally, they have just released their new L.M. Montgomery Christmas collection and it is on sale!
- If you have news from your private lending library this month, please email us at thecardcataloglibrarians@gmail.com and share so that we can celebrate your news together.