Comments on: At a library in Slovenia, borrowing books is sometimes a mystery

By: Dan Eldridge

Dan Eldridge — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:06:42 +0000

@Omaha–Do you have any information about your program on your website, or anything you might be able to send my way? Also, I understand that, like the small-town Colorado library we wrote about recently, you’re also planning on launching a seed library. True? If so, I’d love to know more about it. You can contact me at deldridge AT napco.com – and thanks!

By: Omaha Public Library

Omaha Public Library — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:52:51 +0000

Karla, yes! Omaha Public Library has similar for Valentine’s Day: “blind date” with a book. Patrons have enjoyed this!

By: Felix

Felix — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:13:06 +0000

I wouldn’t bother, because if it’s sci-fi, then I’ve probably read the books already if I cared about them in the least, and if it’s history then it’s a crapshoot — I like history, but not just anything. But I can imagine the system working for children and generally people who don’t read all that much.

By: Karla

Karla — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:01:10 +0000

This is actually quite common in the United States. Especially around Valentine’s Day. It’s usually called “Blind Date with a Book” or something similar. My library had a display this year. A quick Google search comes up with lots of examples.

By: Dan Eldridge

Dan Eldridge — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:59:59 +0000

I certainly do remember Sturgeon’s Rule, Jon, but let’s not forget the addendum so many others have added on to it: “Ninety percent of all creative projects [not everything, incidentally] may indeed be crap … but it’s the other 10 percent we get out of bed every morning for.”

By: Paul StJohn Mackintosh

Paul StJohn Mackintosh — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:55:45 +0000

Guys, that picture is Bled, about 20 miles outside Ljubljana, not the capital itself. Bloody magical though …

By: Jon Jermey

Jon Jermey — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 07:26:34 +0000

Good lord, no! I spend a large part of my life avoiding the books, shows, films and music that other people want to foist upon me. I know exactly what I want to see, hear and read: and I’d much rather people used their time and energy trying to make it accessible to me than on bundling up surprise packages. Remember Sturgeon’s Rule? ’90% of EVERYTHING is crap’.