Bibliophemera

I'm always on the lookout for bookmobile ephemera and history. I came across both on blogs this weekend, each providing its own interactive experience for viewers who have an interest in bookmobiles and traveling libraries. The Book Patrol blogged yesterday about a paper bookmobile model that I thought was creative and interesting--something I might forward to my younger nieces and nephew to play around with. The architect behind this clever piece of paper art is Bob Staake . Of course, I had to try it for myself. It looked easy enough. Just print out the design on Staake's site and start cutting. Easy, it is not. It's been too many decades since I played with scissors and paper. After about a minute, I grew tired of the exercise. But I managed to complete the obstacle course of tabs and tires without snipping off anything essential. The next challenge presented itself in short order: Fold and tuck the tabs and glue the whole thing together. Again, easi...

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting, via email, Laurel Davis, the Legal Information Librarian, Lecturer in Law, and Curator of Special Collections for the Daniel R. Coquillette Rare Book Room in the Boston College Law Library. Somewhere in all that she also finds time to write the Rare Book Room's blog . She was working on an exhibit of early Massachusetts law books and found a Bibliophemera post about Little, Brown & Company that featured an 1892 billhead and some information that seemed a good fit for the exhibit. I was delighted to have her use it for The Golden Age of Legal Publishing in Massachusetts . I was actually in Massachusetts earlier this month, but on the western side of the state and just didn't have the time to see the exhibit in person. But there is the digital counterpart for those of us who can't travel to see this interesting collection of early Massachusetts law books. During our correspondence, I indicated I might have more e...

The Texas Booksellers Association and Heritage Auctions are sponsoring the 2011 North Texas Book & Paper Show this weekend, October 15-16. Check it out if you're in the area. Click on the image on above for an enlarged view.