What is a bookplate and why would I buy one?

People ask me when I tell them I sell bookplates, "What's a bookplate?" It sounds like some technical piece of equipment used in the making of books, doesn't it?

It's actually just a simple piece of paper with a design on it used to signify who owns a book. These days they usually come with a self-adhesive backing.

That's the short description. People also want to know why they'd want to stick a label inside a book. Sometimes they want to know what bookplate to buy for someone.

There is a little more explanation about what a bookplate is - what they are for, why people use them, how to select a bookplate, to personalize or not and what to do with a bookplate if you get one - so that's what I'm hoping to do here!

 Why give bookplates? Here are ten reasons...I'm sure there are more...

• Bookplates encourage reading - children love stickers with their names on them - give a bookplate along with a new book!
• Bookplates are an inexpensive gift
• Bookplates are thoughtful gifts, especially if you select well
• Bookplates will last for a long time - everytime someone sees the bookplate, they'll remember you!
• Bookplates can be very personal - if you have them personalized
• Bookplates remind borrowers to return books - so you're helping someone loan books, and helping them get them back!
• Bookplates identify ownership - so you may be helping roommates avoid arguments or pack up with ease.
• Bookplates identify ownership - so you may be helping a new couple with new names identify ownership of new books they buy together!
• Bookplates leave memories - donate a book to a library, a book in honor of a teacher, a book in memory of a loved one -- leave memories!
• Bookplates make a nice thank you - give a bookplate as a thank you for something nice someone has done - better yet, put it inside a book and give it to the person. 

Antioch Bookplate Company is finally gone

Yes, it is.. and it makes me feel very sad.   Although there are places on-line where you can still buy the bookplates, Ernest Morgan's little company is long gone.  Well, it's been long gone for a long long time. Many of the former workers - employees still hang out one way or the other - live and face to face, or on facebook - and get together for reunions.

Ernest's idea of a community based workplace run by the employees was a good idea, although it never really became quite what he dreamed. Still, a lot of us value the friendships or just the people we met there.  Though we might not all agree politically, socially, religiously on a lot of things, we managed to find ways to work together - we got a lot done.  Everyone took pride in the work they did, as they should have - we designed, produced, manufactured, sold, shipped some fine stuff.  The work ethic was excellent - I worked there for nearly 20 years, if you count my years in the field (I do) and even the couple of years I left and then returned.  Two of my sons worked there, one only as a temp but still...

The Antioch Publishing section is long gone, sold a few years ago.  The Creative Memories manufacturing that went on in the building remained until April of this year, but now its gone, along with some 40 jobs.  At the moment the building is still standing.  But it will probably be sold soon.

There are a few pictures from the lobby - rebuilt after I left in 2000, so I don't have any kind of sentimental attachment to it.  But the timeline and the words of Ernest Morgan bring out some feelings -- I suppose the bittersweet recognition that everything must pass.

On strike today

A Friendly Spirit went on strike today in protest against censorship and against SOPA and PITA bills. 

The House's 's bill is called Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). In the Senate the bill is called the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). SOPA has gotten more attention than PIPA because it was moving faster in the legislative process. But PIPA is just as dangerous, and now it is moving faster.

PIPA would give the government new powers to block Americans' access websites that corporations don't like. The bill lets corporations and the US government censor entire websites and cut sites off from advertising, payments and donations.

This legislation will stifle free speech and innovation, and even threaten popular web services like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

The bill is scheduled for a test vote in the Senate on Jan. 24th: We need to act now to let our lawmakers know just how terrible it is.

Read more and go here to write your representatives. 

http://sopastrike.com/strike

Happy Holidays !!!

  We will be closed from December 20th- January 4th so we can enjoy the holidays and do our year end inventory.  Any orders placed from now on will not be shipped until we reopen.  (Order Numbers 8137 and earlier  are either shipped or will be shipped by Wednesday, December 21st), unless we are waiting on a mock-up OK.

Christmas Shipping

I do my best at Christmas, but please remember I'm not Santa Claus and don't have a sleigh and 8 tiny reindeer!   All I can do is get your order to the UPS drop off or the post office, packaged and labeled.   We're all doing the best we can to get your bookplates to you in a timely manner, but nothing is guaranteed to arrive before Christmas unless you pay for that.

When ordering, make SURE you select the fastest method of shipment for holiday orders placed close to the deadline. NOTE: FREE SHIPPING GIVES YOU FIRST CLASS ONLY. Consider where you live (we are in OHIO) and adjust your shipping method to make sure. UPS is HIGHLY recommended for orders with an arrival deadline. You can check out UPS online to see how long it will take from our zip code 45387 to yours. Also, see Disclaimer below! 

Ordering and Shipping Deadlines 

* We are now past the deadline for INTERNATIONAL Christmas orders of any kind though you should check out the mini-bookplates - round bookplates -  

Deadline for ordering personalized bookplates is December 15th for rectangular bookplates provided you approve the mockups by December 17th if you requested them 
 
. (deadline for mini-bookplates - round bookplates is 6 p.m., December 15th for Standard shipping, 6 p.m. December 20th for 2nd Day and 6 p.m. December 21st for Express, personalized or not - these are produced by a third party, Zazzle.com). 
 
For bookplates not personalized, the order deadline is December 17th - if you want guaranteed delivery , you MUST choose UPS. For orders placed on our website, deadlines are the date the order was placed. For e-mail orders, this would be the date the mock-up is sent to you.  
 
For regular snail mail orders, deadline is considered to be the date the order is  received (not the post mark date).  
 
  For personalized bookplates, the deadline includes time for mock ups to be approved. Mock-ups will be sent within 48 hours of order placement..  Approval for any orders requesting a mock-up must be received by December 17th - if you have not seen your mock-ups in a timely manner, check your spam filter, then e-mail me! Orders will be completed in the order the mock-up approvals are received.
 
  Customers who  place their order on the deadline date should be especially vigilant in looking for and approving the mock-up. If you do not receive your requested mock-up within 48 hours  FIRST check your spam blocker/folder..if it isn't there, contact us by e-mail immediately!
 
Requests made after the Personalized Order Deadline may not make it in time. Orders placed between December 16th and January 2nd will not be processed so we can enjoy the holidays and work on inventory!  

Disclaimer: Shipping dates may change due to accidents, weather or illness though it is our intent to have all orders shipped out by December 20th. Delivery times are guaranteed by the carrier you choose, not by us, and may include extra transit time in case of unforeseen delays. We are not responsible for delays in shipping caused by the weather (we are not in charge of weather!) or carriers (all we can do is get your order to the carrier on time!) Late deliveries are always possible, but we've done our best to insure they are as infrequent as possible.