With the December holidays approaching, I’ve once again sent off my wish list full of book lover gift ideas that aren’t books to family members. And it occurred to me that if you’re also looking for non-book gifts for your book lover friends and family, or looking for non-book gift ideas for yourself – that also don’t break the bank(!) I’ve got a few ideas for you. I mean there’s nothing wrong with giving books (especially fancy Chiltern Classics editions!), but do you really want to add to an already impossibly large to-be-read list?
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I know most of us use phone apps these days to record the books we’ve read and perhaps add a short review to remind ourselves later what we thought of the book. But wouldn’t it be fun if you could open a book from your own bookshelf and have that little review inside the book? Or if a family member could open that same book and find your review hidden inside? And as a bonus, nobody will have to go searching for a bookmark, because there would be one in the book already!
Remember that fad a while ago on social media where all the influencers were using a hand held scanner to scan their personal libraries into an app (Jack Edwards scans books into Libib)? Well, during a couple of recent trips to bookstores I found myself contemplating books from series that I have parts of in my personal library, but couldn’t remember which ones I had already. If only I had my library at my fingertips… So I caved and asked for a scanner. And yes, there are apps that let you just use the camera on your phone, but don’t you think a library book scanner is just more fun?
Desktop Mini Vintage 6-Drawer Card Catalog
A few months ago I stayed at the Hotel Sylvia and in my suite on the wet bar, was a mini card catalog which held tea, coffee, cream, a bottle opener, and a reading light. It was such a cute way to use a vintage card catalog. If you’re giving a mini card catalog as a gift, I highly suggest adding little gifts in the drawers, like this reading Light. And perhaps some black tea straight from Dorset, England, which happens to be my drink of choice in the morning.
I don’t know how often you lend your books to others, but I’m not actually planning on putting library cards and pockets in my books so I can share them (shhh!). I plan to write on the cards where the book in my collection came from and any other details that might be fun to remember later. And the pocket can also hold author house museum tickets, photos from trips with the book, or any other related paper souvenirs. And depending on the size of your library (or whoever you might be gifting too), you might need to add in an extra pack of library cards and pockets.
One of the projects on my to-do list is to print off sticker photos of my literary travels using my Ivy mini printer and put the photos in my books. It’ll turn books from just an ordinary book on a shelf into a memory holder with a story of where the book came from, or an event it was involved in. For example, I took Ramona by Beverly Cleary, which has been on my shelf since childhood, to Portland to visit the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden. Of course this project is going to require more than the 10 sheets that come with the printer. So don’t forget to grab an extra pack or two of photo sticker sheets.
I hope this little gift guide for the librarian and book lover in your life, or just for you, helps this holiday season! Let me know in the comments below if you have any other gift ideas that aren’t books for book lovers!
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KRISTINE HARDER says
Now if you were only shopping at Buckshot & Bobby Pins in Skagway, Alaska, one would find literary themed handbags, wallets, earrings, stickers, candles, and I can’t remember what else! 🙂
Elizabeth says
I’ll keep that in mind next time I visit Skagway. The last time I was there, the shop was too crowded to get in the door!