Book Buying Addicts Anonymous discussion

I rarely lend out books, but this seems like a neat way to personalize your babies. Does anyone still use bookplates? Do you use generic ones or custom designed?

I do use personalized bookplates in those books that are my favorites which I might loan out to friends. It reminds them to give them back!!!! I also have a stamp which says "This book belongs to Jill" which also seems to work. I am pretty picky about loaning books but have a little cadre of friends and family to whom I loan since we all seem to have the same reading tastes.

i used personalized ones i ordered for those books i know i will never ever part with willingly.

Nicky-Ann.....I thought I was the only person who had book rituals!!!!! I keep a file on my computer of passages,names, etc. from my favorite books.

I have an embossing stamp that labels books as "from the library of" with my name. I also have a significant number that I use so that all my books have my name embossed on that page number every 200 pages. For example, I stamp pg 77 and 277 then 477. Before I had the embosser I placed my name in the inner space of those pages. It was advice my dad gave me to prevent others from claiming my books as thier own. works for me.

When I was young one of my aunts gave me some bookplates. They had a black cat standing on top of a stack of books and looking over the edge, and said "Ex Libris". As an adult I found those exact same book plates and ordered a bunch of them personalized with my name. I have a TON of books and only a limited number of bookplates, so I only put them in the books to which I would give 5 stars.

If I'm lending a "lesser" book to a friend I just write my name in it.

I bought a bunch of bookplate stickers from amazon, that I write my name on at put in the books. Unfortunately most of the designs they don't ship to Denmark, so not a lot of variation...
It will take a while before I can afford to put bookplates in all my books, but in the mean time I just write in them with a pen.

I love this conversation! Several years ago, I asked my husband for some book plates for x-mas and he didn't even know what they were! Glad to know my peeps are out there:)

No..never heard of them...And i don't think i'd want to use one either. Usually ppl I lend to will return so I'm not wrorried of someone forgetting they borrowed from me.

It's just as much because it looks nice, and I personally find it gives the book character - if I buy a second hand book, and the previous owner has written a name in it :-)
I also write year, sometimes month of purchase. Then I can go "Wow I've had this since 1991 and not read it yet..." :-)

I have a few bookplates, but I've never used them. I can't really bring myself to write in or stick anything in my books. As opposed to when I was younger, when I wrote my name in every single book I ever owned. :)

I think the only books I own with my name in them are my hardcover Harry Potter books that I always bought the day they were released. I wrote my name and the date in those.

I never used them myself but if there's any type of book accessory to be had, I'm interested. :)

I actually would like to get one of those embossers. My husband has one that he was given as a high school graduation gift. I've seen some beautiful personalized book plates on Etsy.

I like to use them but have a hard time keeping enough on hand for the number of books I have. So...I put them on my 'best' books and write my name in the others until I can get more. Since both of my children are book lovers and collectors as well it just helps to have my name in my books, especially since they are getting old enough to move out. (we share a lot and then forget who the really good books belong to originally.) The bookplates give a more classic feel to the book than just writing my name in the front or along the edge of the pages.

Nicky~Ann wrote: "When I finish a book, copy down passages I like, and am ready to re-shelve it I put a bookplate in it right before I do. It's the finally piece of my "book reading ritual"."

Ooh...I like that idea.