Hi. I'm going to be arrogantly academic for a moment.

[tysolna]

The annoying thing about a library book is when someone else has left their mark upon it. Underscores, notes, annotations. In pencil - sensible, but then why not erase them before bringing the book back? - in felt tip, or even with yellow marker. And don't get me started on people who tear out whole chapters. Defacing books is never a good idea.

Although I admit I did find a funny thing the other day which was apparently a discussion between at least four people who, one after the other, had borrowed the book... but I digress.

What feels even worse is when people pencil in translations. These are English books, and I know the courses taught with them, and yes, they are English spoken. You need a translation for a word, fair enough. Heck, I do too, sometimes. But why would you pencil in a translation into a book that will not stay in your possession? Where's the logic in that?

Long story short - get thee a dictionary; make notes on seperate pieces of paper. If you want to study English Lit, learn the language. That will be one of the first things I will tell my students, when the time comes.

Comments

[bibliophile1887.livejournal.com]

I used to work in circulation, and I can tell you, people leave the oddest things in books. We've found pictures, receipts, money, checks, gum wrappers (with and without the gum inside it - sometimes already chewed), and occasionally a bookmark. We also checkfor defacing, and if it's just pencil, we erase it, but if it's been highlighted we make them pay for it. We also make them pay for it if it's been damaged (torn or stained).

Yeah, it makes us all sick. Especially when they return a book and it's still wet. Now, why would they think we want to touch that? The only answer we can arrive at is: the general public is stupid.

But I work at a public library. I'd hope an academic library would be different. Apparently not.

[erbkaiser.livejournal.com]

Your comment reminds me of why I don't go to libraries anymore.
I am a heavy book buyer now, both new and second-hand. All the second hand book store owners in the area know me by first name now ^.^

New books are "mine" and I know they aren't defiled. And even second-hand books are in pretty good shape and clean, or othterwise it would not be accepted by the store....

I guess it is a part of the loss of values. Books should be treated with some respect.

"For books are more than books, they are the life
The very heart and core of ages past,
The reason why men lived and worked and died,
The essence and quintessence of their lives."—Amy Lowell

[tysolna]

You must have a big budget and big living space. *envies*

[erbkaiser.livejournal.com]

Well yes... and I sell some books after a while to 2nd hand stores. Although I keep easily 90% of all I buy... I am a collector through and through, ^.^

I can't go a day without reading anything, even if it's just the back of the cereal box. But I much prefer a book.

[tysolna]

It's amazing how many things contain monosodium glutamate... ;)

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

Joe Orton used to deface books in public libraries as an artistic statement. Can't say I'd excuse it, though.

[tysolna]

Hm. What artistic statement would that be, then? Vandalism as Art, no thanks...

[fangedsekhmet.livejournal.com]

Almost without fail, every library book I have ever borrowed will possess one suspicious brown stain...

[tysolna]

One can only hope it's coffee.

[schizoid-puma.livejournal.com]

Surely it's easier to photocopy and THEN mark the passage?

[tysolna]

Oh, but that would be the logical thing to do! :D

[schizoid-puma.livejournal.com]

I don't know why I'm surprised, hte books in my uni library were just the same and they had a room dedicated to photocopying