Another reason to hate the Kindle: no bookplates
Lately the U.S. Postal Service has been discussing plans to close post offices, and folks have been lamenting the loss of letter-writing skills -- do they even have Pen Pal clubs anymore?
Here's another lost art: the bookplate. You know the basic one: Ex Libris, with various designs. The decorative plates gave you a sense of ownership, they were a mark that you were building you own personal library. (They also helped remind folks who borrowed books that they should be returned.)
They were also small works of art. Collectors such as Louis Jaffe, a Philadelphian who has been collecting bookplates for 30 years, can point to many exotic examples. His blog, Confessions of a Bookplate Junkie, even has a grouping from Baltimore, including the one shown here.
Try putting one of those on your Kindle!
Comments
Try carrying the entire Harvard Classics (which I have on my Kindle) in your hand. Stop the hatred.
Posted by: Richard | August 13, 2009 8:06 AM
You make me laugh with your Kindle hating posts! I love my Kindle, but still buy plenty of books for some odd reason.
Posted by: Kathy | August 13, 2009 8:34 AM
I used to love putting bookplates in my books but now that I don't keep most of what I read it really isn't worth it. But I did just come across a great resource to use for the books that I DO want to keep. It's called "A Life Well Read" and it is a gorgeous kit designed to help you organize your library. (http://www.alifeunplugged.com/ALifeWellReadDetail.html) I have one and now the decision becomes "which books do I love enough to keep forever and therefore to put a bookplate it?"
Posted by: Heather J. | August 13, 2009 8:42 AM
Ok, I *will* put bookplates on my kindle! The kindle can easily display digital images (a potentially fabulous collection of bookplates) and you can even use them as a screensaver.
Bookplates - another reason to like the kindle!
Posted by: jwhiteinfo | August 13, 2009 10:58 AM
i wonder if people would have such a fiery reaction to the kindle if the name didn't imply ignition? interesting article over here:
http://onthebutton.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/books-are-so-yesterday/
Posted by: rose | August 13, 2009 2:26 PM
Libraries are starting to use "virtual bookplates" in their online catalogs. Why not virtual bookplates for the Kindle?
Posted by: Dahlink | August 19, 2009 6:44 AM