23 Nov 2011 5 Comments
Library Rant #2: Strange bookmarks and other wild things
My time at the library has been a learning experience everyday I’m shocked and amazed at the things that I find in the drop box or in our books. With a grand total of four employees (yes, 4), we have a VERY close relationship with our patrons so it’s sometimes difficult (or feels impossible) to say, “Hey you left your ____ in one of our books. Here’s a bookmark to use next time.” LOL
Some of the items we’ve discovered in the past few years have blown my mind, freaked me out, and in some cases, left me speechless.
Here’s my list of weird items found in books/drop box:
(This list is subject to increase with absolutely insane items)
- Vintage bookmarks
- Photographs (family, pets, etc) (thankfully, no nudes… yet)
- Toilet paper (unused. Thanks be to all that is good and proper in the world)
- Peel-off strip from a feminine napkin. (gross)
- Insurance papers
- Bank statements
- Prisoner I.D.s
- Airline ticket stubs
- Payroll receipts
- Half smoked joint (of the illegal variety) (speechless)
- Roaches (dead…thank goodness)
- Chip crumbs
- Bubble gum and assorted candy wrappers
- Recipes
- Hallmark cards
- Postcards (from various years)
- Kleenex (used) (can we say gross?)
- Probation appt slips
- Medical bills
- Medicaid and Food stamp forms
- Library cards (at least they were for my library. WooHoo)
- Poop…yes POOP smeared on the pages (Seriously nasty…insert gag sound here)
- Toothpicks (possibly used…who knows)
- Notes informing future readers that the book sucks (pasted inside book by patron)
- Sticky notes listing all of the character of the book (interesting and very detailed)
- Lottery tickets (no winners… dammit)
- Business cards
- Spiders (dead)
- Health insurance cards
- Homework and study guides
- Boogers (also known as boogies)
- Paper clips
Not nearly as exciting Drop box finds:
- Letters from patrons including their fines
- Water damaged and moldy books
- Donations with living bugs in them
- Keys
- Solicitations for fundraisers (with instructions to only buy from them)
- Plastic bags
I’m sure that I’m forgetting to mention some interesting finds but it is Sunday, which might as well be Monday. LOL Next week we’ll cover book donations. Now that’s going to be really interesting.
What unusual things have you found in books? Share your finds in the comments.
Nov 23, 2011 @ 03:48:56
I haven’t found anything unusual in my books that I can remember. But I do use a variety of different things as bookmarks. I use ticket stubs, lottery tickets, receipts and the occasionally band-aid(not used still new in the wrapper). I like small book marks and these items work out well. But they are usually my own books so no one cares but me.
For library books I tended to use sticky tabs to mark a page that had interesting information. Which I would need for some type of paper.
Nov 23, 2011 @ 06:37:17
Great post! My Mom sells used books, and the things we find in them are pretty funny too! The most common are pieces of paper with weird stuff written on them and bookmarks. You have come across way more crazy stuff though!
Nov 23, 2011 @ 14:44:36
Hilarious, Jen. Great stuff. Those of us who visit libraries as patrons often have no idea, do we….?
I once found an airline ticket in a library book I checked out, but it was only the stub. Dang! It was to Miami!!!
Nov 23, 2011 @ 14:58:19
Oh my! Some of that is interesting, some of that is just…eww! Great post! Once while reading I found a receipt from M&S that said ‘I am on the toilet reading this. Now squirm.” That was VERY odd. And gross.
Hilarious!
Molly
Reading is my cup of tea
Nov 23, 2011 @ 17:25:39
Mwaha! I have to admit I use whatever’s on hand as a bookmark: receipts, business cards, letters, photos, postcards, post-its, scraps of paper, anything flat
But tissues and toilet paper and various others? Just not cool :/
I once bought a second hand book and found a letter from the RTA (Aus equivalent of the DMV) from the previous owner. I remember finding a really, really beautiful letter in a library book once… it was so sweet, I put it back in. It made me smile, and I kind of thought maybe it would make the next reader smile, too