Ephemera and Your Rare Book Collection

By Kristin Masters. Nov 7, 2019. 9:00 AM.

Topics: Book Collecting, Book Care

If you've chosen a theme or focus for your rare book collection, eventually you'll want to move beyond books and collect related items as well. These may include magazines, posters, or other paper objects. Known as ephemera , such items can add depth, interest, and value to a personal collection.      
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Spooky Reads for Halloween

Have you chosen a costume? Stocked up on candy? Planned that trick-or-treating route? That's right. Halloween is here! The myths and tales of Halloween have long captured our imagination, making the holiday a perfect match for book collectors. Classic spine tingling reads are consistent book collecting favorites.

     
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Celebrating Nobel Laureate Doris Lessing

Today is the centennial birthday of Doris Lessing, novelist, poet, playwright, and Nobel laureate. Born in Kermanshah, Iran to British parents, Lessing's life story is an incredible one. In honor of the 100th year since her birth, here's more about one of the foremost authors of the twentieth century.

     
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How to Begin Collecting Economists in 2020

By Leah Dobrinska. Oct 15, 2019. 9:00 AM.

Topics: Book Collecting

Over the course of history, the economy — and all the surmising and projecting and studying it requires — has given rise to some of the most remarkable works of human-thought. Economists in every generation provide a fascinating breadth of work and ideas. Today, we’d like to explore a couple of famous economists as well as some ideas for collecting economy-based works.

A basic list of economists that merit our attention can be formed from a quick glance throughout history. These individuals punctuate the economic landscape of their times with their thought-processes, philosophies, and recommendations. So without further ado, we give you some noteworthy economists, and their contributions, to add to or to begin growing your economic collection in the upcoming year.      
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Luciano Pavarotti: Legendary Tenor and Humanitarian

By Abigail Bekx. Oct 12, 2019. 9:00 AM.

Topics: Rare Books, Book Collecting

Opera seldom finds a place in modern society. Often placed firmly in the not-for-general-consumption category, it seldom finds listeners in the general public. During his life, Luciano Pavorotti helped bring opera back to the front of modern music. Through his unique voice and collaboration with other popular artists, he showed how opera could be for every listener, not just those who developed an interest in the genre.

     
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Annie Leibovitz: Photographer of a Generation

By Abigail Bekx. Oct 2, 2019. 9:00 AM.

Topics: Legendary Illustrators, Book Collecting

With photo sharing becoming more common through apps like Instagram, the new ease of accessibility allows for the appreciation of photography as an art form to reach new audiences. The iconic works of artists like Annie Leibovitz are so prolific that even casual consumers with passing interest can find joy in the medium and come to value the art for the sake of the form, rather than its subject.

     
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Collecting the Works of President and Peace Prize Winner, Jimmy Carter

By Leah Dobrinska. Oct 1, 2019. 9:00 AM.

Topics: American History, Book Collecting

“To be true to ourselves, we must be true to others.” ~Jimmy Carter, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1977

Today, we celebrate Jimmy Carter's 95th birthday. In honor of his life and efforts as president and human rights activist, we thought we'd republish our most recent post on Carter and his written works.

Do you have a collection of books by U.S. presidents? Or, are you interested in Nobel Peace Prize winners, twentieth century history, or human rights? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, the works of Jimmy Carter should be on your radar.

     
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Case Studies in Collecting: Stephen King

By Kristin Masters. Sep 21, 2019. 9:00 AM.

Topics: Horror, Book Collecting

Prolific author Stephen King has remained a favorite writer for decades, and interest in his work shows no sign of waning. Though primarily recognized as a horror author, King slides among genres, appealing to lovers of science fiction, the American Western, and others. It should be no surprise, then, that King is a popular figure among collectors of modern first editions. Building a single-author collection around King's vast oeuvre offers multiple valuable lessons for book collectors of all specializations.

     
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Great Golf Collectibles - Happy Birthday, Arnold Palmer!

By Leah Dobrinska. Sep 10, 2019. 9:00 AM.

Topics: Book Collecting

Only a handful of names come to mind in a discussion of truly great golfers—those athletes whose accomplishments are time-tested and serve to inspire the generations of golfers who follow in their wake. Jack Nicklaus. Gary Player. Byron Nelson. More recently, Tiger Woods. But perhaps no man has had such success as a golfer while at the same time endearing himself so fully to golf fans as Arnold Palmer.

     
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Writer and Golf Legend: Tom Watson

By Adrienne Rivera. Sep 4, 2019. 9:00 AM.

Topics: Book Collecting

This July, legendary golfer Tom Watson told reporters the British Senior Open would be his final senior open, ending a career of big-stage performances, chock full of personal triumphs and exciting victories. Throughout the golf community, fans and other professionals have voiced their immense respect and gratitude for what Watson has brought to the timeless game. Though golf enthusiasts will no longer be able to enjoy watching Watson's signature play style on the senior open stage, we are still able to take many lessons from the famous pro's career thanks to his large body of work in his other career: that of author. Let's take the look at the life and career of this amazing player, as well as some of the excellent books on golf he has written along the way.

     
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About this blog

How can I identify a first edition? Where do I learn about caring for books? How should I start collecting? Hear from librarians about amazing collections, learn about historic bindings or printing techniques, get to know other collectors. Whether you are just starting or looking for expert advice, chances are, you'll find something of interest on blogis librorum.

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