The Wanderlust Librarian| Bookshelf Voyeur

I'm going to come clean about something.

I'm not particularly proud of this... but I'm going to say it anyway.

I look at other people's bookshelves.

Don't worry readers, I don't look at YOUR bookshelf... just the people I know. I don't judge people on their bookshelves, I just like to see what they read.

A bookshelf says a lot about a person. It shows their interests. It may tells me where they've traveled or want to travel. It says a lot about their influences. It also speaks to their childhood and what stories bring them back to center. It tells me their secrets and dreams. It shows me their past and reveals their future. Bookshelves reveal so many so many things.

I recently found a book called "Unpacking My Library: writers and their books". I requested it from Link + and it is exactly what I wanted it to be! The book shows the bookshelves of different writers and asks them about their selections. It's one of those books that caught my eye because of its size (small) and its title (catchy). 

As part of the One Book, One San Joaquin program, many libraries in the Stockton-San Joaquin system will be hosting programs that will highlight the books being read for the program. One of those programs will let you take a look at the books that influence people around our county. This program, "My Ideal Bookshelf", is a collaboration between local participants of varying ages and professions and local artists. The participants submitted their 10 favorite/influential books and the local artists (also of varying ages) painted their bookshelves. Come check out this great art exhibit on Monday, September 9 in Stockton at the Cesar Chavez Library from 6 p.m-8 p.m.

What do books have to do with travel? 

Everything. 

Books are the ultimate escape. They take you to places you may not ever visit or have always dreamed of visiting. Books can help you to travel backwards and forwards in time. It can expand your limits beyond your town, your state... and even the planet! 

Literary adventure is out there! Visit your local library today! 

xoxo
The Library Bloggess 

Book Bucket List | My Ideal Bookshelf

A question that I have always found difficult to answer is "What is your favorite book of all time?"  My answer is always something like "Well... it really depends..." and I list a few books that have meant something to me for various reasons, but never really nail down one specific book.  However, Jane Mount and Thessaly La Force's My Ideal Bookshelf has made this task a lot easier.  Instead of asking people for their favorite book, they asked a multitude of creative types - people involved in film, food, books, music, and fashion - for their "ideal bookshelf".  This would be a list of the books that matter to them the most and hold a special place in their lives.  Artist Jane Mount then took the list of the participants books and painted them to bring them to life.  Each painting in the book is featured next to an explanation written by the participant of why they chose the books they love so much.  So do you want to see the books James Franco holds dearest?  Check out page 62.

Ideal Bookshelf of Kathleen Hart
President of Delta College
 by Jean Ramey

For the One Book, One San Joaquin program this September, we are bringing the Ideal Bookshelf concept into our community.  We asked a diverse group of people from our own local community for the books that would be found on their own Ideal Bookshelves. Those lists were illustrated by a number of local artists, from high school students to professional artists,  which will be featured during our community reading programs and at many of our branches this September.  We will also be featuring the Ideal Bookshelves of all of the featured authors of this year's One Book, One San Joaquin program including Nina Sankovitch, Rebecca Rupp, and John Green.

These paintings will be featured together at the Reading Meets Art: My Ideal Bookshelf Art Reception on Monday, September 9th at 6:00 p.m. at the Cesar Chavez Library.  Join us to see what people from our community picked as their favorite books!