I'd like to start a local bookstore bookmark exchange. July 13, 2024 7:22 AM Subscribe
Kind of a summer project for myself. Selfishly, I'd love to have cool bookmarks from bookstores from across North America and maybe the world!
This isn't a plan as much as a notion right now, but what I'm thinking is:
- People go to local bookstores and pick up five bookmarks. All the same bookstore or varied bookstores depending on your circumstances.
- Just, like, regular bookmarks. I don't want to deal with anything other than #10 envelopes and lettermail postage.
- Put them in the post to me by July 31 (I'll share my Real Name and postal address directly with those signing up).
- I'll keep a spreadsheet of who has sent me bookmarks and whether the bookmarks have arrived. At the end of August, which feels reasonable for even slow post, I'll manually mix them all up, redistribute them, and mail everyone back five different bookmarks.
I'm happy to absorb the postage (and envelope) cost of sending it all back out.
Things I'm overthinking:
- Postal service is unreliable, so some people might send me bookmarks and they never arrive. What do I do about that?
- Similarly, I might send out bookmarks that never arrive. Maybe just an acceptable risk?
- If people don't live near bookstores with bookmarks, maybe we can have a volunteer "over-bookmarking" (send six or seven) so I can start a bookmarks slush pile for people who can't contribute but still want bookmarks.
Would there be community interest in this?
This isn't a plan as much as a notion right now, but what I'm thinking is:
- People go to local bookstores and pick up five bookmarks. All the same bookstore or varied bookstores depending on your circumstances.
- Just, like, regular bookmarks. I don't want to deal with anything other than #10 envelopes and lettermail postage.
- Put them in the post to me by July 31 (I'll share my Real Name and postal address directly with those signing up).
- I'll keep a spreadsheet of who has sent me bookmarks and whether the bookmarks have arrived. At the end of August, which feels reasonable for even slow post, I'll manually mix them all up, redistribute them, and mail everyone back five different bookmarks.
I'm happy to absorb the postage (and envelope) cost of sending it all back out.
Things I'm overthinking:
- Postal service is unreliable, so some people might send me bookmarks and they never arrive. What do I do about that?
- Similarly, I might send out bookmarks that never arrive. Maybe just an acceptable risk?
- If people don't live near bookstores with bookmarks, maybe we can have a volunteer "over-bookmarking" (send six or seven) so I can start a bookmarks slush pile for people who can't contribute but still want bookmarks.
Would there be community interest in this?
Oooh! Ooooh! Oooh! This one I'm in for. How do you feel about local library bookmarks? My local library has great bookmarks.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 8:27 AM on July 13 [1 favorite]
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 8:27 AM on July 13 [1 favorite]
Library bookmarks are cool! IT IS THUS ORDAINED
posted by Shepherd at 8:41 AM on July 13 [2 favorites]
posted by Shepherd at 8:41 AM on July 13 [2 favorites]
I can do library bookmarks. And you are in Canada, correct?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:29 AM on July 13 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:29 AM on July 13 [1 favorite]
Yes, would love to do this!
posted by gentlyepigrams at 9:40 AM on July 13
posted by gentlyepigrams at 9:40 AM on July 13
I love this! How fun!
posted by mochapickle at 10:47 AM on July 13
posted by mochapickle at 10:47 AM on July 13
Postal service is unreliable, so some people might send me bookmarks and they never arrive. What do I do about that?
Around here, any time we have a mail exchange there are folks willing to send an extra or two to make sure everyone can participate. It just seems to work out like magic.
posted by mochapickle at 10:52 AM on July 13 [1 favorite]
Around here, any time we have a mail exchange there are folks willing to send an extra or two to make sure everyone can participate. It just seems to work out like magic.
posted by mochapickle at 10:52 AM on July 13 [1 favorite]
Ooohhh...I can do library bookmarks!
This sounds extremely fun!
posted by WithWildAbandon at 11:11 AM on July 13
This sounds extremely fun!
posted by WithWildAbandon at 11:11 AM on July 13
Interested - it's an excuse for me to hit up BookPeople!
posted by Ann Telope at 11:42 AM on July 13 [1 favorite]
posted by Ann Telope at 11:42 AM on July 13 [1 favorite]
Also, I would love to know which MeFites my bookmarks came from. How does everyone feel about jotting down usernames on the bookmarks before sending them to Shepherd?
posted by cooker girl at 12:25 PM on July 13 [5 favorites]
posted by cooker girl at 12:25 PM on July 13 [5 favorites]
I love this and would do, especially with cooker girl's suggestion enacted. Might also prevent ppl from disappointingly getting back something they sent out
posted by donnagirl at 12:30 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
posted by donnagirl at 12:30 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
somewhere I have a bookmark from borders books.
that's from the first store before there was any chain, I'll see if I can find it.
posted by clavdivs at 12:37 PM on July 13 [2 favorites]
that's from the first store before there was any chain, I'll see if I can find it.
posted by clavdivs at 12:37 PM on July 13 [2 favorites]
I don't know why I'm being so precious about this, actually, I link right to my website in my bio here.
Here's a quick page I've set up with a signup form.
I'm pretty sure I can avoid sending people bookmarks back to them from the same person/city/region (like if a couple participates) using a simple "everyone gets an envelope and a pile and stuff from their pile and/or their city doesn't go in their return envelope" system.
Keeping track of who sent what and then making notes about which bookmark in which envelope came from which person is a great idea in theory, but knowing my limitations; that's a lot more keeping-track-of-and-making-notes-about-things than I think I'm up for.
posted by Shepherd at 1:07 PM on July 13
Here's a quick page I've set up with a signup form.
I'm pretty sure I can avoid sending people bookmarks back to them from the same person/city/region (like if a couple participates) using a simple "everyone gets an envelope and a pile and stuff from their pile and/or their city doesn't go in their return envelope" system.
Keeping track of who sent what and then making notes about which bookmark in which envelope came from which person is a great idea in theory, but knowing my limitations; that's a lot more keeping-track-of-and-making-notes-about-things than I think I'm up for.
posted by Shepherd at 1:07 PM on July 13
Oh that's not at all what I was suggesting, sorry that I wasn't more clear!
I just meant that, as we all gather the bookmarks from our respective places, WE write our usernames ON the bookmarks, somewhere unobtrusive. Then we send them to you and you do your magic.
posted by cooker girl at 1:40 PM on July 13
I just meant that, as we all gather the bookmarks from our respective places, WE write our usernames ON the bookmarks, somewhere unobtrusive. Then we send them to you and you do your magic.
posted by cooker girl at 1:40 PM on July 13
Maybe ask mods to sidebar this? A lot of folks don't read Meta talk. Unless you want to keep it small/intimate :-)
posted by WithWildAbandon at 1:44 PM on July 13
posted by WithWildAbandon at 1:44 PM on July 13
Totally get it!
posted by WithWildAbandon at 1:54 PM on July 13
posted by WithWildAbandon at 1:54 PM on July 13
I think I'm in for this regardless, but is there any interest in including lit fest bookmarks? I have a ton (some that I've had a hand in designing) for a bunch of festivals I've organized, and I have plenty to spare in storage.
posted by carrienation at 2:14 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
posted by carrienation at 2:14 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
Oh fun! I have a few from a local indie bookstore, I'd just need to pick up a couple more. I'm in!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:53 PM on July 13
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:53 PM on July 13
Do you want help covering the cost of the outgoing mail? Depending on how many people sign up, I could see that getting expensive!
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:00 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:00 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
Consider this a vote for including lit fest bookmarks!
posted by WithWildAbandon at 6:11 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
posted by WithWildAbandon at 6:11 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
Interested - it's an excuse for me to hit up BookPeople!
My local shop as well! Although, with 30+ indie booksellers in Austin, it's an even better excuse for me to hit up the ones I haven't been to yet...
posted by mykescipark at 6:33 PM on July 13 [2 favorites]
My local shop as well! Although, with 30+ indie booksellers in Austin, it's an even better excuse for me to hit up the ones I haven't been to yet...
posted by mykescipark at 6:33 PM on July 13 [2 favorites]
or, or, or...well, it would be kind of neat to post a few of our own bookmarks I have a couple of odd ones but that's another feather. I have one from my local bookstore, one from a bookstore in Jacksonville florida, so like I'm going through all my books looking for bookmarks that were in there when I bought them, this is fun.
ok
a laminated empty cigarette package from president Bush's 1988 campaign
my great-grandfather's last drivers license, 1969 date of birth 1878.
a smal lifetime membership card, the telephone pioneers of America, my grandfathers
toe tag from a city I won't name
a really cool postcard from Luxembourg
a miniature map of the Soviet Union
my grandmother's handmade bookmark with yarn on top.
postcard of osip brik.
laminated note from a sheaf of paper circa 1944 that apologized for the reduced sturdiness of the paper box due to conservation of war material.
photograph circa 1902 somer guy sitting down crossing his arms just staring at the camera with a really old flint lock pistol in his belt.
my father never wrote very much in his whole life but I have a letter in an envelope and I just keep that one for myself.
posted by clavdivs at 7:15 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
ok
a laminated empty cigarette package from president Bush's 1988 campaign
my great-grandfather's last drivers license, 1969 date of birth 1878.
a smal lifetime membership card, the telephone pioneers of America, my grandfathers
toe tag from a city I won't name
a really cool postcard from Luxembourg
a miniature map of the Soviet Union
my grandmother's handmade bookmark with yarn on top.
postcard of osip brik.
laminated note from a sheaf of paper circa 1944 that apologized for the reduced sturdiness of the paper box due to conservation of war material.
photograph circa 1902 somer guy sitting down crossing his arms just staring at the camera with a really old flint lock pistol in his belt.
my father never wrote very much in his whole life but I have a letter in an envelope and I just keep that one for myself.
posted by clavdivs at 7:15 PM on July 13 [1 favorite]
Mod note: [btw, this lovely notion has been added to the sidebar and Best Of blog!]
posted by taz (staff) at 1:24 AM on July 14 [1 favorite]
posted by taz (staff) at 1:24 AM on July 14 [1 favorite]
I’d love to participate in this! And I vote yes to lit fests and libraries, yes to adding usernames. I’ll check out the link you posted.
posted by eirias at 11:21 AM on July 14 [1 favorite]
posted by eirias at 11:21 AM on July 14 [1 favorite]
I just signed up! This is so much more engaging than my typical strategy: tucking them into a library book :D at times I have a surplus, so I share.
posted by childofTethys at 12:25 PM on July 14
posted by childofTethys at 12:25 PM on July 14
Would participate!
posted by kensington314 at 2:50 PM on July 14
posted by kensington314 at 2:50 PM on July 14
Great to see all the enthusiasm! Sign up here, and I think let's just keep it simple for our first go-round; bookstores, libraries, "booky" places. No need for anything esoteric or extra effort.
https://shep.ca/the-great-bookstore-library-bookmark-exchange/
posted by Shepherd at 3:53 PM on July 14
https://shep.ca/the-great-bookstore-library-bookmark-exchange/
posted by Shepherd at 3:53 PM on July 14
Clickable version of the above link just in case.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:17 AM on July 15 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:17 AM on July 15 [1 favorite]
Oh, and I just checked the link - what is your IRL name?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:18 AM on July 15
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:18 AM on July 15
....nevermind, just found where you have your IRL name, please disregard I'm a fool
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:19 AM on July 15
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:19 AM on July 15
No, good point, I added my real name to the address on the page for clarity. Why make people fish for it?
posted by Shepherd at 7:02 AM on July 15
posted by Shepherd at 7:02 AM on July 15
This sounds excellent - thank you!
posted by narcissus_and_ambrosia at 8:28 AM on July 15 [1 favorite]
posted by narcissus_and_ambrosia at 8:28 AM on July 15 [1 favorite]
I had to bring something to the post office for my roommate anyway, so I added an envelope with eight bookmarks from my local indie bookstore. (they give those things out freely.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:42 PM on July 15 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:42 PM on July 15 [1 favorite]
This couldn't have come at a better time- I was just thinking how my SF Con bookmarks are getting a bit ratty. I'll put bookmarks in the mail next week!
posted by Dotty at 11:51 AM on July 16
posted by Dotty at 11:51 AM on July 16
This is going really well! 26 sign-ups from 22 geographically distinct places (I think -- it's hard to know sometimes, as cities have boroughs). To play it safe, I'll just avoid giving people anything from the same state / province when redistributing.
If we crest 30 over the coming weekend I might cap it next week, just to make sure this is manageable for me. I am expecting about 10-15% attrition from sign-ups to sending bookmarks -- we're all busy, life gets in the way, etc. -- and about 25-30 people participating feels like a solid number for this to be super interesting but not overwhelming for me.
posted by Shepherd at 7:30 AM on July 17 [1 favorite]
If we crest 30 over the coming weekend I might cap it next week, just to make sure this is manageable for me. I am expecting about 10-15% attrition from sign-ups to sending bookmarks -- we're all busy, life gets in the way, etc. -- and about 25-30 people participating feels like a solid number for this to be super interesting but not overwhelming for me.
posted by Shepherd at 7:30 AM on July 17 [1 favorite]
We don’t have any bookstores in my town of 300. We do have a library! But the only bookmarks they have are a somewhat generic bookmark for the summer reading program? Too boring? They do have a tortoise on them …
Just nothing location specific.
posted by hilaryjade at 1:45 PM on July 17 [2 favorites]
Just nothing location specific.
posted by hilaryjade at 1:45 PM on July 17 [2 favorites]
That sounds like a fine bookmark! A reminder that folks can sign up for the "I just want to get bookmarks" option if you're in a bookmark (or logistics, financial, or other feasibility) jam.
posted by Shepherd at 8:11 AM on July 18 [1 favorite]
posted by Shepherd at 8:11 AM on July 18 [1 favorite]
Such a neat idea! A bookstore I stopped by on some recent travels sent me home with a whole stack -- more than I can use myself.
posted by egregious theorem at 9:53 AM on July 18
posted by egregious theorem at 9:53 AM on July 18
Neat! My kiddos have a growing collection of library bookmarks (they change the colors every now and then, so some of the older ones have become precious because they are no longer available) and they will really enjoy this I think. Is it possible to participate twice by sending 10 bookmarks for both my kids?
posted by cubby at 1:03 PM on July 18
posted by cubby at 1:03 PM on July 18
oh, snap. someone me mailed a link and I accidentally deleted it with my most recent post notification. could they resend that please, apologies.
posted by clavdivs at 1:09 PM on July 18
posted by clavdivs at 1:09 PM on July 18
Thanks, Shepherd - my library bookmarks are on their way to you with a little greeting on the back from me with the name of my town & my state for some personalized pizzazz. What a fun idea!
posted by hilaryjade at 1:52 PM on July 18
posted by hilaryjade at 1:52 PM on July 18
Just sent you a bunch of bookmarks from here in London - plus one little bonus item which I think you'l enjoy!
Before you start sending bookmarks out again, would it be possible to scan or photograph the most notable ones with a view to posting these images online later? I know I'd love see a few of the best contributions you get, and I bet a lot of other MeFites would too. Maybe even do a personal Top Ten of your own favourites?
posted by Paul Slade at 4:02 AM on July 19 [1 favorite]
Before you start sending bookmarks out again, would it be possible to scan or photograph the most notable ones with a view to posting these images online later? I know I'd love see a few of the best contributions you get, and I bet a lot of other MeFites would too. Maybe even do a personal Top Ten of your own favourites?
posted by Paul Slade at 4:02 AM on July 19 [1 favorite]
Sent mine yesterday. My library has some neat historical bookmarks where all the kids from the school drew pictures of the library and then they were put on bookmarks along with facts from each of the library's ten decades (at that point) Alas, they are 11" long and wont' fit in an envelope so I just sent some modern ones instead.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:34 AM on July 19 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:34 AM on July 19 [1 favorite]
Still going great, and I've put a pin in it for now. If you're late to sign up and really, really want to hop on, please MeMail me!
posted by Shepherd at 9:07 AM on July 21
posted by Shepherd at 9:07 AM on July 21
How many are signed up? Just curious. Thanks for initiating this!
posted by WithWildAbandon at 2:04 PM on July 21
posted by WithWildAbandon at 2:04 PM on July 21
38 people across 36 households (a couple of households had double participants); at a guess about 27-28 distinct locations.
posted by Shepherd at 4:30 PM on July 22 [2 favorites]
posted by Shepherd at 4:30 PM on July 22 [2 favorites]
Mailed mine today!
posted by WithWildAbandon at 12:03 PM on July 23
posted by WithWildAbandon at 12:03 PM on July 23
Ack! I just got my bookmarks returned to me here in NYC with a stamp saying "attempted - not know, unable to forward". I'm assuming something went awry and so I'm going to try again tomorrow. But i'll Memail you now with the address I'm using to make sure I have it right.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:56 PM on July 24
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:56 PM on July 24
I can confirm the the address is 100% right. My house is on a corner, and the actual mailbox is around the corner, which has never been a problem in the past (and I got mail today, including my first bookmarks) but if it happens again I’ll call the post office. Kingston’s postal workers vary wildly in quality.
posted by Shepherd at 2:32 PM on July 24
posted by Shepherd at 2:32 PM on July 24
As do New York's! I'll send it back out tomorrow.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:03 PM on July 24
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:03 PM on July 24
Mailed mine today from NC!
Mine our from our local radio station, in case you need to bookmark All Things Considered.
posted by jeoc at 12:05 PM on July 25
Mine our from our local radio station, in case you need to bookmark All Things Considered.
posted by jeoc at 12:05 PM on July 25
Oh! Do you want to share a Venmo or something to defray costs? I was going to slip some bills in the envelope but didn’t think that would be super helpful to a Canadian.
posted by jeoc at 12:06 PM on July 25
posted by jeoc at 12:06 PM on July 25
A few people have offered but it's all good! There's no Venmo in Canada (or if there is, we don't use it very much, banks here make e-transfers pretty easy). No help required for the stamp costs.
I have four envelopes now; the only one I recognize offhand from the return address/postmark is Jessamyn; I'm not opening them until I get a fair batch going. It's looking good!
posted by Shepherd at 5:12 PM on July 25 [2 favorites]
I have four envelopes now; the only one I recognize offhand from the return address/postmark is Jessamyn; I'm not opening them until I get a fair batch going. It's looking good!
posted by Shepherd at 5:12 PM on July 25 [2 favorites]
Sent mine too!
posted by narcissus_and_ambrosia at 12:35 PM on July 26
posted by narcissus_and_ambrosia at 12:35 PM on July 26
I'm going to get mine this weekend and mail them Monday.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 3:38 PM on July 26
posted by gentlyepigrams at 3:38 PM on July 26
The end of July came up and shocked me! I do still want to send but I will be a couple days late. Hopefully still arriving well before end of August.
posted by sigmagalator at 9:12 AM on July 31
posted by sigmagalator at 9:12 AM on July 31
In the mail today!
posted by sigmagalator at 1:02 PM on August 3
posted by sigmagalator at 1:02 PM on August 3
I had a therapy dog who worked with special-needs elementary school kids in a program called Ruff Reading, where the kids would practice reading aloud to my dog. Our therapy dog outfit (Human-Animal Bond in Tennessee, or HABIT) printed bookmarks with the dog's photo and name.
Would it be bad form to participate with these instead of bookstore bookmarks?
Here she is, at work.
posted by workerant at 11:10 AM on August 9 [1 favorite]
Would it be bad form to participate with these instead of bookstore bookmarks?
Here she is, at work.
posted by workerant at 11:10 AM on August 9 [1 favorite]
I’m not in charge of this, but I believe I can speak for everyone …
YES! YES, PLEASE!
(I adore reading-to-animals programs)
posted by WithWildAbandon at 12:29 PM on August 9
YES! YES, PLEASE!
(I adore reading-to-animals programs)
posted by WithWildAbandon at 12:29 PM on August 9
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posted by cooker girl at 7:57 AM on July 13