Scenes from a Library Overhaul
The beginning of the year is usually when I dive in to a big cleaning project. This year, it’s organizing the library, the various volumes that my husband and I have collected over multiple decades. I remain neck deep in the process of hunting for errant books and shelving them, so this week, you get a peek at some of the highlights of our books.
Here’s what one side of the library looked like before I started shelving and reshelving everything. A couple of existing shelves are joined by some newly purchased IKEA Billys. Books had to be sorted and cataloged before shelving. I’ve been using Libib to keep track of my books, as the app lets me scan barcodes to easily add most of my books to the new database.
A volume of comics inspired by Winsor McKay's Little Nemo comics, one of the exceptionally tall books that makes adjustable shelves a necessity.
Most of our Hellboy collection, starting with the lovely library editions. We do have volume 1....somewhere.
I was told that the complete Calvin and Hobbes would be available in limited quantities, so I picked this one up and ended up carrying it around Harvard Square for part of the day. It's heavy!
A Tezuka creature from the back of a volume of Tezuka's cover art.
Here's a rarity: it's the collected anthologies of my college's comics club, Action to Action. This was the last year of the club's existence before it was replaced by a new club more tied in with the sequential art department.
There is no room in my house without toys. Evan Dorkin's Milk and Cheese supervised my organizing work while shouting threats of violence in my general direction.
I've attended a number of conventions over the years and made a point of getting a few special books signed. The Waid/Wiring Fantastic Four is one of my all time favorite superhero comics runs, so I was thrilled to get my volume one hardcover signed by Mark Waid when he was in Boston.
A Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane digest sized collection signed by artist Takeshi Miyazawa. I also have a drawing from him in my convention sketchbook.
A sketch by my friend Les McClaine in the collected book of his old journal comic. Check out his current project, Jonny Crossbones.
Gosh, this is pretty. Sketch and signature by Craig Thompson in our copy of Blankets.
Two signatures from Linda Medley a little over ten years apart. One was at the 2006 San Diego Comic Con, the other was from the inaugural LadiesCon in 2016.
Another SDCC acquisition, this time from Duck artist Don Rosa. He had some very kind words about an article I'd written about one of his stories. I don't know if he always puts three exclamation points after people's names when he signs their books. I'd like to believe it was a one time thing.
If you have pictures of your libraries or favorite books, we'd love to see them! Share them with us and your fellow readers in the comments.