I'm sorry to say that the library as it was is no longer.  Thanks to all who read, enjoyed and supported our efforts!

Still reading

Hi all--sorry it's been a bit since my last post.  My day job as a librarian gets particularly hectic in the summer, so I've got less time to be writing during these months. 

Still reading, though!  I hope you are too, and that you've come in recently to check out (literally) the books we've been adding to the collection.  Some of our tattoo artists have added their portfolio books (beautiful!) and we keep adding to our tattoo book collection, including one that I think has the best title ever, "Dorothy Parker's Elbow."

Let us know what you're reading these days, and what you'd like to see on our shelves!

beer and kittens and pages

It's been a busy couple of weeks.  First we had Beer Week (and First Friday with the Smak Parlour truck, our newest artists, and the beautiful jewelry and prints of Fox Paw Presents.)  And the tattoo studio opened!  Now we're getting ready for the Street Tails Animal Rescue event this weekend--if you need a furry companion to snuggle with while you read, come by on Saturday and make friends. (And get an animal-themed tattoo in the process.) 

In library news, we've implemented a new corkboard that shows off all our favorite local bookstores, and also has a place for you to share with other people some of your best-loved titles. Stop by and let us know.

And thanks to a recent coffeehouse visitor who donated some books, including Meg Wolitzer's The Interestings.  Can't wait for someone to read it and tell us how it is.

Book...or show?

I admit, I'm resistant to following trends.  If something becomes the "hot" book or show or band, I'll dig my heels in and ignore it.

Well, mostly.

When I heard from so many people that "Orange is the New Black" was such a well-written show, we decided to check out an episode or two. Just to see.

And now, here I am, counting the days 'til the new season.

Are you a fan?  And which is better the show, or the book?  We've got the book in our library now, so you can read it and decide for yourself.

get out

I think I've been hearing the collective sighs of relief in the city as people finally, tentatively started to emerge from hibernation and believe in the reality of spring.  (Perfect stoop sitting weather!)

If you're like me, warmer temperatures get you itching to travel. That's one of the fun parts of this job--when I'm scouting for books for the library, I get to fantasize about where I (and you) might want to go, and provide you a travel guide to get there. Our collection is heavy on Lonely Planet and Rough Guides to be sure, but one book that heads off the beaten path is Ayun Holliday's "Zinester's Guide to NYC."   The author (who's a zinemaker herself) has a great subject to work with, and she doesn't disappoint. Places to eat are primary on her list (with some excellent vegetarian and vegan choices), but then she also highlights bookstores, comic books stores, thrift shops, green spaces (including cemeteries), and various odds and ends (like where to go in a heat wave) that will make you feel like a local. Plenty of coffeeshops are highlighted in it too.

In her forward, Ayun encourages people to make a one-shot zine about their NY trips and mail it to her.  If you borrow the book and feel so inspired, drop off a copy to us too, and we'll add it to our zine shelf.

Sunrise

Science fiction is a large part of our collection, and we're proud to include local author and Temple English professor Samuel Delany's "Fall of the Towers".  The book's been called "quirky and compelling." Check it out for yourself and see if you agree.

Numbering the pages

For the past few years, there's been a lot written about the future of publishing.  Some say that the major presses are on their way out.  Others say that all print publishing is going the way of the dinosaur, and that digital books will soon be the majority.  Others point to the growth of indie presses and the opening of new bookstores and see a re-visioning of the publishing industry.

I definitely don't have the answers.  I know that as a librarian, I see an increased usage in Kindles and tablets. Lots of people checking out e-books from the library. Some people moving away from reading full books, and taking more time to read blogs and feeds and writing online.

I also know that Friday night, at Vice's First Friday event, I saw lots of people browsing through our library, holding books in their hands, exclaiming over old favorites or getting excited about titles they hadn't seen before. I catalogued books and watched quietly over the top of my laptop the other day as a guy relaxed and lingered with his coffee and one of our graphic novels. The staff tells me stories of books checked out with enthusiasm, fines delayed ("can I keep it just a little while longer?"), moments of serendipitous browsing.

So it may be anecdotal, my sample size might be small, and of course publishing and readers will evolve, but I'm hard-pressed to believe that print books, with their heft and spines and dog-eared pages, are going away anytime soon.

What do you think?

Circles

One of the shop's owners found this one---fascinating and beautiful. Only wish the photos and illustrations were in color!

Inked

My latest book-buying excursion took me to Locust Moon Comics in West Philly.  I was impressed by the wide range of their titles, the friendliness and knowledge of the owners, and their two sweet, fluffy cats.  (All booklovers know that having a cat is a sign of a real bookstore.  Having two is pretty exceptional.)

I picked up a Love and Rockets compilation, as well as the first collection of Strangers in Paradise.  I was eyeing the Cerebus compilations too, but we might have to wait a bit for those.

What graphic novels would you like to see in our library?  What authors/titles are you reading (old or new) that we should be checking out right now?

This is the last day for the "Really Good Elevator Music" installation a few blocks down at the Asian Arts Initiative.  I went to the Asymptote reading there on Saturday night, and was really impressed with how they captured some of the sounds of the people and places of the neighborhood.  If you aren't close by and can't make it over to take the ride, you can at least listen online.  (You'll enjoy it more than a Muzak version of "Umbrella," I promise.)

Serendipitous Find

Wandering from the coffeehouse to my day job today, I realized that Bebashi is in our neighborhood. I stopped by to say hello and invite them to come grab coffee from us, and was please to find they have a "used books for sale" shelf.  So I picked up this one, which I'm long overdue to read.

Have you read it before?  What did you think?

Our haul from the book fair

Lots of beautiful photography at the Photo Arts Fair yesterday.  Fresh off our visit to the Alien She exhibit at our neighborhood gallery, Vox Populi, we picked up these two books from their table:

It's got the history of the gallery, overviews and images from past exhibits, as well as discussion about the history of other artist-run spaces in Philly (RIP, Space 1026). The essay with musings about art and commerce and our perpetual "Philly Complex" in regards to New York is pretty thought provoking...

And then there's this book, that looks at the larger implications behind the rise of DIY and craft culture, and sees creation as a political act. (There's a documentary as well.  Hmm...could we host a showing here?   Let us know if you'd be interested in that!)

Adding both to the catalog, and our shelves, right now.  

We're headed to the Philly Photo Arts Book Fair today to do a little book buying. See you there!

Pick of the Week

Got this one at the Charles Santore branch of the Free Library yesterday, in great shape, for a dollar.

Page One

Hello, dear readers. (And you are readers, or you wouldn't be here, right?) I'm the librarian at a coffeehouse in Philadelphia called Vice. Our logo says it all--coffee, tattoos, and books. I do librarianship in my full-time day job (I've almost done with my MLIS at Drexel, and work in non-profit management) but when this opportunity combining three of my favorite things presented itself, I couldn't say no.

The shop opened about two months ago, and our catalog includes almost 700 books. I thought it would be fun to share some of my on-a-shoestring budget book buying adventures, and I'll also share my book pick of the week, serendipitous finds, reviews, favorite bookstores, musings on books, reading, publishing, and libraries in general. (And of course, tattoos.) We welcome your ideas and comments!