For Christmas I was given a personalized embossing stamp for my books, it was very thoughtful but I'm a little put off. I'm one of those people who hates marking in a book, just in case. I prefer not to write in the margins or highlight, instead I'll use post-it arrows.
In my mind the reason I have physical books instead of digital is because I want them to continue to live on after I die. It's not "My Book" it's only on loan till it gets to the next reader. However, that might just be how I justify the expense in my head. I'm sure many of them will probably just end up in the trash or at Goodwill but I can pretend for the time being.
Do any of you use a customized plate or stamp for your library? What's the thought process for you?
by GraniteCapybara
9 Comments
I don’t but am considering it. I love getting second hand books with stamps or names in though. It shows the journey it has been on and gives me a connection to the previous reader.
I agree with you and I’m just grateful that no one has ever thought that an embosser would be a good present for me!
I love them, but I’m also someone who doesn’t have a problem writing in their books. I personally seek out secondhand books with marginalia because I’m interested in what was important to previous readers.
I write my name, date purchased, and bookshop the book was purchased from in all my books. I hope future readers do the same so the journey can be tracked.
I write in my books, highlight etc.
Books no longer are the luxury items they once were. And even if you pass them on: how fun is it to get an old book with a piece of history of a person that first owned it? I think it’s quite charming actually. Otherwise it’s just an old book, like millions of others you can get for a few cents on a flea market.
Mark your books, it makes them more valuable, not less.
I have a custom book stamp that I put in books I lend out. It may possibly make it slightly more likely that the book returns, but if not the recipient will think fondly of me when they pick it up again. A used paperback is not a one-of-a-kind original Van Gogh painting that must be kept pristine, so as long as it’s not impeding the reading experience in some way I think of it as adding character rather than diminishing value. If people want their books clean they can buy them new.
I don’t ever write in my books or dog ear them, but my most treasured books have bookplates in them, and I’d love to get an embossing stamp to use in all my books (except for the antique ones of course).
For me, one of the things I love about buying second hand books, is reading a name or dedication a previous owner/gifter wrote there, so I imagine anyone owning my books after I pass won’t mind either.
I have a book embosser. To me, it is my book (until it isn’t) and I don’t care if people know it was mine (some people find that kind of thing interesting, in fact).
I’m an archivist by profession, and books with marginalia are always super interesting- we don’t keep mass produced items as a rule, but books with personalizations might be kept. It also makes one very aware of the impermanence of such things. They aren’t made to last, especially modern books all glued together on acidic paper. So I’ll enjoy my little library as I like. If it lasts beyond me, cool, but if not, I at least took joy in them while they were mine.
I don’t read physical books anymore, but that’s because I find ebooks easier to read (sizing, font etc) but I personally don’t like embossers/stamps because when I used to read physical books, I’d potentially want to donate, regift, give to a friend.
I’m someone who writes in books. Although I would only stamp books that are important to me and also are generic paper/hardbacks. It would feel like sacrilege to annotate or stamp a beautiful collector’s edition or leather bound book.