Re: [GBW] The future of books for collectors and everyone else

[Leslie Couture <blusterer@xxxxxxxxx>]

Has anyone had this question posed to any you: What is the future of book collecting?  I am speaking of the poor quality of the books being produced today?  Do you have people who collect books coming to you with this question?   Or have they already figured this out and are asking for their books to be rebound?  And if this is done, how does this change the value of the book?  Is it better to just tell people how to take care of their books, even though the newer books have a tendency to come apart because of the wrong adhesive, or an imperfect batch of glue ...

I am also wondering this (for myself) for another reason.   I work in a public library and see books come and go.  The ones that remain are always the older ones and if they go it is usually because they look 'nasty' and a new one would look better.   I do not like the new ones, snazzy covers aside because they fall apart sooner.  So I've been pondering the question of replacing books (specifically, the classics) with used copies which have been published at least twenty years ago (and look good of course).   I'm probably being too idealistic and this won't work.

Any thoughts on any of this?

Leslie Couture


An old man sitting on the ground sees something a child can't see even if he climbs a tree. -African Proverb


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