Book Buying Addicts Anonymous discussion

I used to use an old (clean) shoelace for a bookmark until my cat pried one loose from my game of thrones book. Silly kitty.

Magic the Gathering cards. The artwork makes me happy when I open up to it. If it's a sci-fi or fantasy book, I try to match my card to the book's topic. I dunno why I take the time to do this, I just enjoy it. A little pre-reading ritual I suppose.

Right now, a Blue Jays baseball ticket stub ( from the Toronto Blue Jays, a Major League Baseball team, for those of you outside of North America). I read multiple books, so have a variety of bookmarks for my paper books.

Raven wrote: "Magic the Gathering cards. The artwork makes me happy when I open up to it. If it's a sci-fi or fantasy book, I try to match my card to the book's topic. I dunno why I take the time to do this, I j..."

Neat idea.
I ordered a decently large group of magnetic bookmarks from magneticbookmark.com - only 1.99 and a big group of selections. My friend and I have gotten into them. I love the magnetic bookmarks because they don't fall out or move around, or damage the book pages.

I prefer bookmarks, but I'm not paying $5.00 for one, because I tend to lose them. If I have one, I'll use it, but any scrap of paper, or old letter or piece of junk mail will do in a pinch. ;)

I have a lot of bookmarks, because my favorite bookshop (now closed) used to give them for free when you purchased a book. They also often send them in the package when purchasing on line.

I use them, but I'm not adamant: I also use everything at hand, scraps of paper, receipts, etc.

I guess I'm a little more creative then most. I have combined my photography with my bead work and have created a new line of bookmarks that are spectacular - even if I have to say so myself. A few of them can be viewed at www.etsy.com/shop/BookBlingbyJoei Check them out....

Joei wrote: "I guess I'm a little more creative then most. I have combined my photography with my bead work and have created a new line of bookmarks that are spectacular - even if I have to say so myself. A f..."

Wow really pretty, I just saw them online :)

Thanks ASP - it's always nice when someone else does the complimenting. I really appreciate it. I don't do much selling on line but when I'm at a craft show or a book fair they are my biggest sellers. I also started making Christmas spiders and Trees of Life and I'll be uploading some in a few days. I'll post when other products are available. In the meantime - thank you for checking them out. Joei at www.joeicarlton.com

My local library gives out bookmarks. So I tend to collect them ... I have a legal sized envelope full of bookmarks ... different colors and all. I also decided to take a whole pack of index cards and cut them up into four squares. On the squares I wrote quotes, sayings, bible verses and anything else that caught my attention. Sometimes I may leave the cards somewhere for other people to pick up and read. *Make their day a little.

I like to use postcards my friends sent me - it makes me travel a little more that I already do with the book.

My mom made me this really cute bookworm book mark. But I will also use whatever is available at the time. We recently moved in with the inlaws (ugh!) and my mother in law is enjoying my books-- but she just turns them face down. I really hope she doesn't break the spines of my books. And I want to say something--but it would probably be much better if I don't, keeping the peace and all that.

Kelli wrote: "My mom made me this really cute bookworm book mark. But I will also use whatever is available at the time. We recently moved in with the inlaws (ugh!) and my mother in law is enjoying my books-- bu..."

Kelli, I don't think it is too much to ask that your books be taken care of properly. To encourage your Mother-in-law to use a bookmark, why don't you make a special one for her? She might be more likely to use it if it came from you and means something special. Just my two cents.

Kelli, I agree with Joseph. I think it's perfectly alright to politely say that you don't like the way she treats your books.

I've never understood why some people think it's ok to mistreat someone else's property (especially books).

That's a very good suggestion, Joseph. Thanks. :)And thanks, Laura. Its nice to know that I'm not being unreasonable. :)

Well, since book stores and libraries always give some kind of receipt (at least they do around where I'm from...), then I just use those. Recently I've splurged on these metal bookmarks from B&N that are in a triangle shape and are supposed to point out the last line read...

I´ve started collecting bookmarkers.
I´ve visited a bat cave on my vacation and bought a bat bookmarker as a souvenir

Shauna, i use the ibook markers. They work great

For the most part I use a photo of my kids, if I'm reading more than one book I'll use whatever is available, post its, receipts, scrap paper.

Rita wrote: "Argh! How can you dog-ear a page? *shudders* LOL
I love bookmarks, but I use anything from old postcards to told receipts to "real" bookmarks and also magnetic bookmarks.
The plastic coated paper ..."

LOL. I also have the same reaction when I saw the 'dog-ear' and 'page' in the same sentence.

As for the main question: If I cannot find my bookmarks, I use any paper but I am very careful about papercuts. Or sometimes the receipt of the book :D

I use bookmarkers that I get from various authors when I attend conferences or book signings.

You know when credit card companies send offers? I use the sample card as a bookmark- as long as it is not the real thing, and doesn't have my name or any of my family members' name on it. I also collect bookmarks that I bought/buy at Barnes and Noble and Borders (when it was open), gift stores, etc, when I like the image on a bookmark.

Most of the times I tend to use anything that I find laying on My desk.. But since when I was a little girl I started to collect bookmarks.. The sad thing is that I Don't use those ones because I Don't want to lose or ruin them.. So I use a post-it instead ahahaha

If I don't have a spare bookmark or one within reach I just use a piece of paper.

I tend to use business cards although, like Vale, I've collected bookmarks since I was a kid. I also just bought two Bookmark Buddies off etsy -- they're like little cardstock paper dolls whose arms hang over the page you're on and their little heads stick out the top of the book :D I've got Moriarty from BBC Sherlock and Merlin. they're so cute!

Subway tickets from faraway cities

I've also collected bookmarks for years- they are ephemera. And they're too pretty to use, so I tend to use stickies, although lately I have used actual bookmarks.

I have a really nice bookmark that a friend gave me, it's got the cover picture from Eldest on it and has a little tassel with beads... I used it up til a few months ago, the cats got hold of it, yanked it out of the book and made off with the beads /sigh.

I'm always getting bookmarks - libraries, giveaways - but they're never around when I need one. So, when I'm reading a paper book, I just fold some paper in half or thirds.

When I was younger I'd dog-ear.

With digital, it's auto-bookmarked. Yay!

I usually use the receipt from the book purchase. I can never find a bookmark when I need one. I have used recipe cards, poem cut outs, craft store coupons, whatever I can find! And of course my nook bookmarks it for me!

Right now, I am using plant identification tags, leftovers from spring and summer planting. Another way to bring my garden into the house.

Jenn wrote: "I usually use the receipt from the book purchase. I can never find a bookmark when I need one. I have used recipe cards, poem cut outs, craft store coupons, whatever I can find! And of course my n..."

I also use receipt of the book :)

My Aunt quilted me a bookmark with cats and a cat head at top. I love it!!

the easiest bookmark to use,(if you're reading a hardcover with a jacket.)

Simply use whichever jacket flap is closest to your reading position in the book. Front flap for halfway or less, back flap for more than halfway. See, easy!

I use the receipt from the bookstore or library where I got the book, usually. I lose bookmarks like you wouldn't believe, though, so I've made it a habit to note what page I'm on before I close the book.

I'm a sucker for beautiful or unique bookmarks. Some I'm given, some I buy, and others I find hiding in other books.

I love bookmarks. Ones with a uniques saying, or picture. I give bookmarks to the kids at school for the class all returning their books, or special days, like Dr. Suess's b'day, library month, etc.

For those interested in collecting bookmarks, join the Facebook group "Snail Mail Bookmark Exchange". We swap bookmarks through the mail!

I love bookmarks. Internet friends from all over the world have gifted me with bookmarks from their countries, and many of the ones I've bought myself are up to 30 years old, as I started buying them when I got my first job at a mall as a teen. The ones I favor and use most often, though, are the magnet bookmarks that clip onto the page. I've received several sets of those as gifts and I love them because they don't fall out!

I use an index card, and make notes on it as I go. When I finish the book, I put the card in the front of the book.

That is a great idea about using an index card!

I have a paper fan from last years County Rodeo that works great. It not too big or too small and if I get warm I can cool myself off with it.

Some of my favorite bookmarks are old opera tickets. They don't tear them in half anymore, so I keep some of them.

i use bookmarks from library, chip bag clips, sometimes other books as bookmarks LOL, plant seed packets, library checkout due date papers , whatevers around

NEVER EVER DOG EAR THEM, i see a nicely bound book say everymans library, library of america, nyrb, etc hardback books with dog ears in them and i shed a tear

Don't use your bank statements. I'm almost gave a book away with my bank statements in them. That's what happens when you read late at night. You grab the closest thing next to you.

Kate or envelopes with your address on them

Whenever i buy a new book, the first thing i do is come on to goodreads, look the book up and then copy and paste the book cover image onto a 2.5"x5" piece of paper and print it out. I absolutely cannot read a book without printing the cover for a bookmark!!!

Lately, I've been collecting bookmarks from the bookstores I've been buying books from. I also started (last year) buying bookmarks as souvenirs when on vacations. There're also postcards that have a bookmark on the top that you can split from the actual postcard - I like those!

I have a wooden one with a mark of the bat (from vacation), my favourite at the moment:

As I love attending conferences that are set up for readers and authors, I get probably a 100 or more every year. I
Ike to include one or two with Christmas Cards I send out to friends I know like to read as well. I have a really nice collection if them