2009 Catalog Update

Well I'm getting a bit closer to being done; it looks like the catalog will have 595 items, and consist of Award Winners, (Newbury, Caldecott, etc), signed books, and books I just think are too cool for words. I'm hoping to have it finished and sent in the next 10 days, but then I thought it would be publishing before the end of January!

Bookstore Reviews

This review of Borderland Books, a Science Fiction/Fantasy Bookstore in San Francisco is from a new blog site called "No Bookstore Left Behind"

Borderlands

Surprising it took me two and a half years to find a bookstore completely devoted to Science Fiction and Fantasy. Borderlands is located in the sunny mission smack dab in the middle of half a dozen other bookstores (more Mission bookstore reviews to come) and many dozen cafes, coffee shops and restaurants. An entire bookstore devoted to sci-fi…sounds like Eden, right? Except Eden is inhabited by two freaky cats. This aren’t normal cats (assuming they are indeed cats), they’re the hairless, “Sphinx” cats and they are as ugly as sin. Their faces are all shrunk up and wrinkly, their tails are exactly like rat tails. The first time I went in the store they both kept staring at me. The second time one of the cats followed me around meowing (apparently the other was at home, or out haunting the dreams of young children, and she was lonely). When I sat down with some of Ray Bradbury’s short stories, she climbed into my lab and clamored to be petted. Petting a hairless cat is a lot like stroking a bat. But she seemed to like it, she purred loudly for a while before setting in. Several people came by and did the “aaawwwwww….whatta cute kitty” routine. I refrained from asking them what they were smoking but it must have been strong.

Anyway, aside from the disconcerting cats, Borderlands is a great store. There is about a 60-40 distribution of new books to used, plus a smattering of rare editions. There is also plenty of space to sit and read, including a comfy couch.

quote for the day

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991

I've got a 50% success rate on this....

catalog update

Jeez, it's been such a long time since I've compiled a hard copy catalog that I've seriously underestimated the time it takes. It doesn't help that I've got a new (COLOR!) printer/copier that I'm learning to use so it's going to be an illustrated catalog.

So, the January 2009 catalog is currently over 500 items and is going to cover award winners, (Newbury, Caldecott, King, Edgar etc) and whatever other book that I think is cool. Hopefully it will be completed by mid February at the latest.


Compiling is the easy part, it's the editing that's going to take the time.

Mini rant

I was in the local Borders bookstore this weekend looking at the new childrens picture books, just generally checking out what's new and what looks interesting, and I was struck again by the degradation in the childrens picture book section. This has been going on for a few years now but it has been especially bad over the last year, the picture book section has been shrunk by more than half it's original size and even more disappointing, a wall that at one time was dedicated to books is now "activity sets" and toys.

It's bad enough that I don't have an independent bookstore to shop at, but when the "big box" stores don't stock a decent collection it just flat ticks me off.

Award Announcement

The 2009 award announcement for the Newbery and Caledecott medals will be on January 26th this year. The announcements will be webcast at 7:45am from Denver during the ALA mid-winter meeting.

A whole slew of other literary awards for childrens and young adult books will also be announced. I also follow the Printz award for young adult and the Coretta Scott King for African American titles.

Holiday Greetings!

Here is our Christmas card this year! I hope the holidays find you well and happy and which ever holiday you celebrate, be sure to celebrate with those you love....