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It was our BooksBloom Weekend – Yay!!!
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This weekend my co-op hosted Jan and Gary Bloom and they were funny, informative, knowledgeable, and so sweet. They brought so many great books it was hard to choose! I came home with dozens and dozens of treasures! My living book shelf of science has some great new books, and we now have a great start to a collection of Landmark history books. It was a great weekend. Don’t miss the Blooms, if you have the chance to meet them and shop their books.
~ Christie
Jan and Gary are wonderful. Jan called me when they left Jacksonville yesterday and asked if we could meet up in East TN and do some book trading. I have tons of duplicates from my library and she has some I want that I don’t have. Sounded like a plan to me.
Glad you had a great weekend.
Christie,
I thought I’d let you know that Jan and Gary were raving about the great time they had in Jacksonville. I said, “With Christie?” They asked if I knew you and I said only through SCM.
But she said everyone there was so great and what a terrific time they had. Lots of book lovers there.It was great! I wish I could have bought twice the amount of books that I did, but you know the kids like to eat, too. LOL.
I hope to see your library someday, Robin. I’d love to do that here, but it’s not my season to add another big task.
If you’re ever up East Tennessee way, come on over. We’re about an hour northeast of Gatlinburg and the Smokys. A good vacation spot.
Robin, this thread caught my eye because I am in the process of trying to expand our home library — my kids read faster than I can buy books, and we don’t have a good library system here. Do you have any advice?
I did find out that the Bloom’s will be at my local homeschool conference in May — would that be a good place to start?
JennNC,
You can’t go wrong with the Blooms’ selection of books. It really is a top notch selection! Other great places to find great used books are Paperbackswap, Abe Books, Amazon Marketplace, and eBay. Figure out what authors or publishers you’re looking for and go from there. Some favorite science authors – McClung, Arnosky, Selsam. Some great history books – Landmark and Signature series. I’m sure you have many of your own favorites, but the Bookfinder here is a good place to look also.
It’s wonderful to build your library. We don’t use the library much anymore, the selection of great books is dwindling and I can buy the books for less than the late fees I’d pay. I think we’re up close to 3,000 volumes now. I know Robin has over 20,000 in her lending library.
HTH –
Christie
I’m sorry, Jenn, I’m just now seeing this. Actually Michelle Miller of TruthQuest has over 20,000 volumes. I’m only closing in on 15,000. Michelle lit this fire in me about 11 years ago to open a lending library when we were discussing my then much smaller collection.
By all means, visit Jan’s booth at the conference. In fact, I always start there and other similar booths because I can always buy curriculum (which I almost never do) but once those books are gone, they’re gone. You may even pick up some of my library duplicates from her since she took about 9 boxes off my hands and I got some rare ones I didn’t have.
I would also recommend that you buy Jan’s books, Who Should We Then Read, Vols. 1 and 2. They are a GOLD MINE of great books and authors. Mine are marked up with books I own. Valerie Jacobson also has a great list on her website. http://www.valerieslivingbooks.info/
As far as finding books, that’s the fun part. Anywhere. Christie gave you some great sites online. Go to every library book sale you can. These aren’t what they used to be, but I found Giraffe That Walked to Paris (high-priced OOP FIAR book) at one recently for $1. You just never know. Check out thrift stores. I don’t really look at yard sales much anymore. I don’t have time and what you find is usually junk. But I always have my eyes open. Let people know you are looking for great books. You may (will) be given lots of twaddle (my sil gave me some Goosebumps the other day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but I have also been given great stuff. Ask for Amazon gift certificates for gifts (for yourself! HA!!) and shop for books you’re looking for.
Can you tell I’m a hopeless case? But when I see my children and my patron’s children pouring over these books and week after week they come in and say, “Miss Robin, that book you gave me last time was the BEST I’ve EVER READ!” it’s all worth it.
Oh! And if you’re in Winston-Salem, say hello to my friend Emily who will be at Jan’s booth. She runs a lending library in VA. She always helps Jan at thet conference. Emily is very persuasive and Jan says she sells more books at that conference than any other. LOL!!
Robin, put me in the hopeless case category, too! You can count on me if I get near TN!
Some people think I’m loony, but I feel the same way about great books. I guess I already have a lending library of sorts, all of my co-op members borrow from me all the time, so they like my buying of books! I, too, found an OOP The Red Carpet by Rex Parkin at a library sale for $1. Later when I looked it up, it was going for $75 – $90 at that time.
Yes, Jan’s books are terrific. I should mark mine, but I just keep my bookpedia updated.
How do I find out what conferences are in our area and are worth going to?? I have never been to one (although I have friends/family that have asked me to go) and am not sure where to start or who is a ‘don’t miss’ speaker.
I am in Central California and I know there will be a a convention/conference coming soon, but like I said, I am not familiar with those that speak…you know, their methods, etc.
TIA
Just wanted to mention that I go to the Goodwill, thriftstores and our Friends of the Library before any used book stores. They are usually cheaper, up to $1 or more than used book stores. And, I usually go armed with a list. I have familiarized myself with many authors/titles, but my memory only goes so far:) Now, I don’t have as many books as Christie or Robin but I have way more than I did 1-2 years ago. We have such a good selection now that my kids could read for months before going to the library, but we do anyway:)
I actually start to get this weird feeling….I need to get to a store that sells books now (goodwill/thrift). Either it’s been awhile since I’ve purchased a book (maybe a week) or I just know there is something there for me:) And, there usually is.
Happy book finding/treasure hunting!
But she said everyone there was so great and what a terrific time they had. Lots of book lovers there.
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