Fats here.
Last week, I shared random bookish facts about me. Today, I have two more random bookish topics: book boxes and bookmarking. (Please bear with me.)
I first signed up for a book subscription box sometime in July 2015. I tried it for a few months, and then decided I needed to save. I re-subscribed for a couple more times until I finally canceled it. I was relieved that it was easy to cancel my subscription. I was afraid I was going to get “stuck,” you know.
I switched to a different monthly book subscription. At first, I was “gifting” boxes to myself, which meant that it was a one-time subscription. I was really happy with the loot that I’ve received in the first three boxes. Earlier this year, I opted for a 6-month subscription. I still have no regrets.
While literary subscriptions can be costly, I like the idea of receiving a variety of bookish items and I embrace the thrill that only a bookish surprise could bring. Because of my monthly book subscription, I became familiar with small and local businesses that create pretty awesome bookish stuff like soy candles, pins, notepads, tea cloths, and scarves. In addition, my book subscription helped me appreciate YA literature more. (Ah, yes, I failed to mention that it was a YA book subscription.) New release young adult novels? Sign me up!
If you’re interested in subscribing or would like a list of literary subscription boxes, you may want to check out the websites below. I’ve only subscribed to two of those, although I’ve seen the others on Facebook and/or Instagram.
I’m quite certain you’ll find other monthly subscription boxes — YA or otherwise — that are not listed in any of the links above. Book subscription boxes are not for everyone, and not available everywhere. If it’s available where you live, why not give it a try? Fair warning: it can be addicting.
Enough about becoming penniless because of book boxes. Let’s talk a little about bookmarks. Are you the kind of reader who marks the pages of a book you’re reading? Do you use a bookmark? If so, what kind do you use?
Part of my duties as a circulation assistant in the library is discharging materials from patrons’ accounts. Since I started working at the Wayne County Public Library three years ago, we have seen a lot of bookmarks tucked in books that patrons had previously checked out.
Types of Bookmarks That Patrons Use (Or the Art of Bookmarking)
- An actual bookmark (card, fabric, laminate).
- A receipt (book receipt, grocery receipt, auto shop receipt, etc.).
- Personal photograph.
- Piece of mail (like a utility or phone bill).
- Greeting card (sometimes inside the envelope, usually a birthday card).
Last weekend, I realized that not only do I hoard books, I also collect bookmarks. I try to to purchase at least one bookmark every time I visit a bookstore. I have plain bookmarks, bookmarks with tassels, magnetic bookmarks, metal bookmarks, and wooden bookmarks. I treasure every single one of them, but I love the thin paper ones the best.
My recent obsession: bright colored page markers. I use them to mark quotes and passages from the book and I’m too lazy to jot down ideas on large Post-it Notes.
By the way, since last week, I have acquired more than 10 books! (Heh.)
Gathering Books 
That’s really cool! 🙂
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