What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I am just curious -- does this bother you? Do you try to put a bookplate over the former owner's name? If you are getting rid of your books and you've embossed your books/put personalized books in your bookplates (or you are going through a relative's books and they wrote their name/had bookplates, etc.) do you have a desire to cover them up?

If you run a used book-store, if the former owner wrote their name in it, would you prefer left "as is" (with name, et al.) or a blank bookplate put over it? I've purchased books where former owner cut corner off front page (i.e they had embossed their book with one of those seals). I don't personally mind it when I buy books (but I can see where it might bother people), but yet at the same time when I start to think about culling books from my library I hate the idea of having my name in all my books and am thinking to myself "Now, why did I think I needed to emboss/stick a personalized bookplate in this again?"

I love books with previous owner's names. They indicate that a book was appreciated enough that the owner wanted their name on it. It must have at least been respected. Even better is when there is an inscription on it. "To [whomever], in honor of [something in their life that is important]" I feel they are sharing their lives with others.

If it is a recent book, and the owner might want it back, it is also helpful so that you can return a book you borrowed.

It doesn't usually bother me, if it's done neatly. What does bother me is a huge amount of writing in the book, sloppy writing, highlighting. But I buy a lot of cheap used books and if it's just the owner's name (and sometimes their address even, or their college dorm name and number) in a small area, or a tasteful bookplate, I often enjoy seeing that.

My sense is that used bookstore owners don't mind a name in there, or a bookplate, as long as it's neat looking. They don't want shabby looking, dog-eared, highlighted books.

I used to write my name in all the books I bought, and when I was in college I put my dorm name and room #, and after college I put my street address. I stopped doing this because I thought, if I sell or donate this, everyone's going to know my address and what if some crazy person stalks me or whatever. I haven't sold or donated any books that have my current address in them, but I've donated books with old addresses.

I bought a bunch of used books at a book fair that used to belong to Tom Fitzpatrick, who went to Yale, and his bookplate was really lovely, a pine tree on top of a rugged cliff. I ended up with some of Tom's wife's books too, from the 60s and 70s. The nice thing was they took really good care of their books. And now I have them!

So it's okay if they stalk the current residents of your old address, as long as they don't get you? LOL!

You know, I have never seen a book with a bookplate in it. I guess none of the books I've read have been that important. I don't mind a name in a book or some small bit of writing, but when it looks like a 2 year old went crazy, that is a problem.

I actually kind of like seeing a name, if it includes a date. Gives the book a sense of history.

Greg wrote: "So it's okay if they stalk the current residents of your old address, as long as they don't get you? LOL!"

Yes...is that rude?

Lobstergirl wrote: "Greg wrote: "So it's okay if they stalk the current residents of your old address, as long as they don't get you? LOL!"

Yes...is that rude?"

Well your hypothetical stalker might be annoyed, they think they're stalking someone with a particular taste in books and then eventually find out the current residents don't read at all or something.

So I'm a bit of a hypocrite because I don't like names in books but then I also have a stamp saying "This book belongs to Joycedale" that I use in most of my books. Usually just the ones I know I won't be giving away. To be fair though I got the stamp when I loaned a book to my sister then her mother in law took it. She claimed it was hers and we had no way to prove otherwise.
But after what Laura said about showing it was appreciated I might rethink how I feel about others names.

They don't usually bother me. I recently aquired an automotive book that had belonged to a local, well known, new car dealer. I mentioned this to a friend who has a body shop and he was able to tell me that the dealer was a car enthusiast. It wasn't just a business to him. Made the book more interesting to me.

If I put my name in a book then I expect to keep it. I have 2 books with inscriptions from my Grandma. They were gifts to me from her and are treasured for that.

I'm not usually bothered by other people's names in my books. Oh, except for my father who while he was working (he's retired now) used to borrow books from me and put his name in them because he'd take them to work and didn't want them getting lost. That was always annoying but hard to argue against, I'd rather they come back with his name than not come back at all.

I do feel a bit bad when I see a newer-ish book has an elaborate or heartfelt inscription and they're up for sale at a used bookstore. Seems like either something happened to the owner or they just didn't care and quickly got rid of the book. Which seems a bit sad both for the book and inscriber. At least with older ones you can think of them being valued by their owner for a while, rather than immediately dumped.

I will say that writing my name in my books proved most useful at home, in the junior high and high school years (and even beyond), as my siblings (and my father) felt free to remove books from my room and move them to their rooms. At least with my name in it, when I found the stolen book again I could wave it in their faces accusingly.

Thanks - Lobstergirl -- in terms of addresses - I never wrote my addresses/dorm number -- hey, but yeah, wouldn't the stalker be disappointed looking for that person fascinated with topic X, only to discover that person no longer lives there...!

Bargle wrote If I put my name in a book then I expect to keep it
--> That is my thing -- I used to expect to keep all my books! But now I am needing to downsize my library (which literally is in the 1000s of books, not kidding) and of course, I am not keeping them all anymore.

LauraW If it is a recent book, and the owner might want it back, it is also helpful so that you can return a book you borrowed.

Yes! that is why I used to put my name in books -- but it does not seem like it's helped...I've loaned enough books (even with my name) that I've never gotten back...

It used to bug me but I am no longer obsessed about the condition the books I buy are in (as long as they're not gross) as I read and pass on most everything. Now I think it's neat to see a bit of concrete history in the book. As for my own books, I only ever wrote my name in when I was a child.

It doesn't bother me. Sometimes it adds a charm. I buy a lot of used books, so I'm used to it.

Interesting article about leaving notes in books. http://www.theage.com.au/entertainmen...

I don't mind names/addresses/inscriptions inside the front cover -- but I've got one book where someone wrote their name around the page edges in thick black marker. I got it from one of those online used book depots, so I was unaware of the exact condition besides "moderately used."

I really don't mind, maybe because I'm that person that writes their name in pen for every book I own. I won't cross it out or cover it because I think it just looks better as is.

"So it's okay if they stalk the current residents of your old address, as long as they don't get you? LOL!"

Well your hypothetical stalker might be annoyed, they think they're stalking someone with a particular taste in books and then eventually find out the current residents don't read at all or something.

Precisely. There's nothing stopping a stalker from using a phone book (so last century, I know), county recorder's office, or other resource to pick a house (instead of a book). You'd be surprised how often you can locate people by just having their names. A former address helps nail down which person you are/were talking about.

Kate wrote: "but I've got one book where someone wrote their name around the page edges in thick black marker."

I do that with my loaner copies, because they often don't come back. I put loaner copy, and a long-term email address on it.

Because, here's the kicker - that book is still mine, even if you paid money for it to some bookseller.

Doesn't bother me at all, which is good because I buy a lot of used books.

I have a book stamp that I mark my loaner copies with. They don't always come back to me... but I have visions of someone, ten years down the road, saying, "Hey! I forgot to give this back to you."

I like buying old books, and like the former owner's names inside. I like seeing their handwriting, or gift inscriptions. It gives the book a history.

My husband's been working through a reading list of the "Top 100" books of this or that genre, so I picked up five more titles from his list for his birthday. One of them was supposed to have been in "Very Good" condition... and it had the former owner's name scrawled in Sharpie across the edges of the bookblock. Not cool at all.

Anjali wrote: "Yea, I leave my name and some deep, insightful thoughts and doodles in the pages. And someday my future husband will look at them and fall deeply in love and then we'll exchange correspondence and ..."

Sounds like a solid plan ... well at least it sounds darn romantic. *sigh*

I think it's cool. I have a book from the 1890s inscribed to my great grandmother

Anjali wrote: "Gerd wrote: "Anjali wrote: "Yea, I leave my name and some deep, insightful thoughts and doodles in the pages. And someday my future husband will look at them and fall deeply in love and then we'll ..."

I love what you wrote too whether or not it was your idea. My husband and I bonded over HARRY POTTER. After we married and had kids, he'd read the latest book and give me a synopsis because I didn't have the time or energy to read novels when the kids were babies. I finally got to read the last ones on my own when the kids were older.

I LOVE seeing writing in books! I've found pictures, shopping lists, notes... I pray for all of those people and keep the things inside the books.

Gerd wrote: "Anjali wrote: "Yea, I leave my name and some deep, insightful thoughts and doodles in the pages. And someday my future husband will look at them and fall deeply in love and then we'll exchange corr..."

Great story too! Thanks for the link!

Anjali wrote: "Beth wrote: "Anjali wrote: "Gerd wrote: "Anjali wrote: "Yea, I leave my name and some deep, insightful thoughts and doodles in the pages. And someday my future husband will look at them and fall de..."

Sorry! Just now getting around to saying "thank you!"