Saturday, July 9, 2011

What's Your Book?

My Mum emailed me this link a few weeks ago, and it made me think about the place libraries hold in communities, and what they mean to people.  I've been thinking about it ever since, so in an effort to get it out of my head, I thought I would post about it.

In the introduction to Podcastle episode 116:  Paper Cuts Scissors by Holly Black, Anna Schwind talked about a set of laws she learned in library school - Ranganathan's 5 laws.

Ranganathan's 5 Laws of Library Science:
      1. Books are for use
      2. Every reader his [or her] book
      3. Every book its reader
      4. Save the time of the reader
      5. The library is a growing organism

She explained the second law as meaning that there is one book out there that belongs to each reader, that this is the book that, though you have a copy, you will buy it from a second hand book shop because you're so sad that someone sold it.  The third law also struck a chord with her, and it does with me too.  This is why I think libraries are awesome, and will only buy a book if it's for school or something I will use over and over and over (that means most likely not a novel as I am not much of a rereader).  Libraries are there to facilitate you finding your book, and your book finding you.

So, what's your book?

4 comments:

  1. Chloe by Freya North, I was given it when I was about 17 and have reread it over and over again since, its half the reason I am in the UK now.

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  2. Tell me about it, Kellie, I'd rather you tell me than wikipedia! :-)

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  3. Ummm its about a shy and timid 20 something year old girl living in a horrible London flat, with a terrible job and a even worse boyfriend and when her godmother (who she is really close to) dies she is given a letter from her godmother that sends her around the UK staying with various friends of her Godmother on the way, having lots of fun and adventures, plus meeting a new guy in each place and growing up along the way. Its a really sweet and fun book to read. One of those types you can read when everything seems sad and too much and come away feeling happier afterwards.
    What is your book??

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  4. That sounds really good - next time I feel like stepping back into the real world in my fiction, I'll pick it up. You know, I'm not sure I have found my book, though I wouldn't be surprised if it's Tajore Arkle by Jackie French (by the way, if you ever see a copy of this book, however bedraggled, PLEASE buy it for me, I will pay you back - they're out of print). It's about a girl who lives in a mining town and is a bit odd, then one day she knows something is wrong at the mine, and then the mine collapses killing some townspeople. Everyone blames her and so she is shunned from the town. Luckily, a traveling merchant happens through shortly after and takes her to the gifted people who live far away (because she foresaw the mine disaster). There she learns that other people have special abilities like her, and meets a boy who is linked to her and the girl she's been dreaming about. They set off to find the other girl. It's a great science fiction adventure. I read it when I was about 10, then reread it while I was in Aus, and remembered pretty much the entire plot, and loved it second time around. As a rule I don't reread because I always like the book less, but this one I liked at least as well, or even more.

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