Here is a quick photo tour of the Friends of the Hoover Library Used-Book Store. It’s located on The Plaza back near the magazines and snack bar and there is another “secret” room downstairs that has $1 books!
They keep carts outside the shop with $1 books. Its always worth looking through as 90% are hardbacks and many are donated (a.k.a. books without library markings/stickers). They have a nice easy to understand pricing system once inside.
Now the Library Used-Book Store keeps an overflow room of used books downstairs along the wall of the community room. All of these books in the “Book Nook” are $1. The turnover here isn’t as high as upstairs so I don’t check on this every visit. But I have found some gems there. So do check often.
To get to the room, go back out to the main library hallway and follow it around towards the non-fiction sections. As you are approaching the “quiet study cubicles” there will be a stairway on the right. Take this downstairs. Once downstairs take a left and you’ll see the room.
All Summer long the Birmingham Library system has been hosting events that teach you how to make things out of old books. I haven’t been able to make any of the evening courses yet, but they sound kind of fun and there are a few more left.
Friday, July 20th 10:00a-12:00p at the Powderly Branch – learn about “Stamps and Stiches” and use different printing techniques and sewing to create truly unique altered book pieces.
Monday, July 23rd 6:30p-8:30p at the Avondale Branch – learn “Collage and Image Transfers” to add images and depth to your altered book art project.
If you’ve missed all of the other sessions (as I have) look towards the bottom of the library’s blog post where they list a handful of books that they have on the shelves to help you get inspired and started with your own book art project.
For the most part they are updated about twice a month. So it’s a good place to check on the 1st and 16th of each month to see if there is something new you’d like to read. Of course, being in the JCLC system, if you see something you like you can always have it requested and shipped to the closest library branch to you.
If nifty old archives of historical significance interest you then you should tune into Book TV (on CSPAN2) this weekend. At noon, on Saturday, they will be touring old bookstores and the Nichols Collection at the University of Oklahoma. They have books going back as far as the 15th century! They also have a History of Science Collection with papers and books from Galileo, Copernicus and other famous people in white lab coats. I think it’ll be fun to watch.
