Comments on: Books you wish you had bought http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/ A Mormon Blog Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:11:18 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Bret http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/#comment-65434 Bret Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:12:11 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4068#comment-65434 I have a hardcover copy of Mormonism in Transition (sans DJ) for sale for a very reasonable price. First to email gets it. http://www.ldsbooklovers.com/saleitem.asp?id=158&pid=0 I have a hardcover copy of Mormonism in Transition (sans DJ) for sale for a very reasonable price. First to email gets it.

http://www.ldsbooklovers.com/saleitem.asp?id=158&pid=0

]]> By: Curt Conklin http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/#comment-65433 Curt Conklin Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:27:42 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4068#comment-65433 Kevin, One COULD get a library to copy the BX schedule for Mormonism, BX 8601-8666, and then shelve books within each number by author or first main word of the title. Simple enough. The real issue would be how to label the spines without damaging or otherwise ruining the value of the book. I guess one could use acid free heavy cardstock cut like a page marker and cut them higher than the book so that the call number is above the top of the book. Lots of work though, and you'd want to make sure that the cardstock is acid free. We do this in my library (BYU Hunter LAW) for Rare Books that we don't want to afix things to or otherwise mark. We used to use IBM punchcards for this purpose, but they are fairly acidic. The Mormon part of the LC BX schedule is only 6 pages long, 7 if you include the "other" Mormons. Kevin,

One COULD get a library to copy the BX schedule for Mormonism, BX 8601-8666, and then shelve books within each number by author or first main word of the title. Simple enough.

The real issue would be how to label the spines without damaging or otherwise ruining the value of the book. I guess one could use acid free heavy cardstock cut like a page marker and cut them higher than the book so that the call number is above the top of the book. Lots of work though, and you’d want to make sure that the cardstock is acid free. We do this in my library (BYU Hunter LAW) for Rare Books that we don’t want to afix things to or otherwise mark. We used to use IBM punchcards for this purpose, but they are fairly acidic.

The Mormon part of the LC BX schedule is only 6 pages long, 7 if you include the “other” Mormons.

]]> By: Kevin Barney http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/#comment-65432 Kevin Barney Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:32:07 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4068#comment-65432 You're right, Curt. I try to use a very general categorization on my shelves: BoM, Church History, GA and doctrinal titles, apologetics, music, general ancient studies, classics, etc. But the system breaks down over time and miscellaneous books get stuck in every available nook and cranny. You’re right, Curt. I try to use a very general categorization on my shelves: BoM, Church History, GA and doctrinal titles, apologetics, music, general ancient studies, classics, etc. But the system breaks down over time and miscellaneous books get stuck in every available nook and cranny.

]]> By: Curt Conklin http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/#comment-65431 Curt Conklin Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:03:22 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4068#comment-65431 In reading these comments it is obvious to me that some of you people have huge "Mormon Americana" collections and haven't gotten around to organizing them in any cognizant way. What a shame. I'll admit, my modest collection of 50 or 60 or so Mormon books sit on my book selves like "matter unorganized"--and I'm a professional cataloguer! Lets see, BX8601 to BX 8666 Mormons, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . . . I have the LC schedule right here in my lap. Curt Conklin In reading these comments it is obvious to me that some of you people have huge “Mormon Americana” collections and haven’t gotten around to organizing them in any cognizant way. What a shame. I’ll admit, my modest collection of 50 or 60 or so Mormon books sit on my book selves like “matter unorganized”–and I’m a professional cataloguer!

Lets see, BX8601 to BX 8666 Mormons, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . . . I have the LC schedule right here in my lap.

Curt Conklin

]]> By: BHodges http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/#comment-65430 BHodges Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:31:09 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4068#comment-65430 Trevor. You totally poached that book from me, you snake! I was bidder 497. BOOOOOO! Also, there are always about a bajillion Mark E. Peterson and Paul Dunn books available for a buck a pop at the DI. Let me know if anyone is interested. Trevor. You totally poached that book from me, you snake! I was bidder 497. BOOOOOO!

Also, there are always about a bajillion Mark E. Peterson and Paul Dunn books available for a buck a pop at the DI. Let me know if anyone is interested.

]]> By: Trevor Holyoak http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/#comment-65429 Trevor Holyoak Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:04:40 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4068#comment-65429 I bought a copy of Mormons in Transition earlier this month in the silent auction at the FAIR conference. I think it cost me $4.50. I had no idea it was worth anything; now I'm wondering how I got it for so little (unless no one else knew, either). I bought a copy of Mormons in Transition earlier this month in the silent auction at the FAIR conference. I think it cost me $4.50. I had no idea it was worth anything; now I’m wondering how I got it for so little (unless no one else knew, either).

]]> By: Randy B. http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/#comment-65428 Randy B. Sun, 17 Aug 2008 03:24:29 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4068#comment-65428 Kevin, If you're so inclined, I'd be interested to know what you've got in the box that you're looking to get rid of. You can get me at butterfieldrj at gmail dot com. Kevin,

If you’re so inclined, I’d be interested to know what you’ve got in the box that you’re looking to get rid of. You can get me at butterfieldrj at gmail dot com.

]]> By: Randy B. http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/#comment-65427 Randy B. Sun, 17 Aug 2008 03:22:34 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4068#comment-65427 Researcher, I've used all of those resources and more and in the proces have bought more books than I'd ever care to admit. At the end of the day, I don't think any one of them is more reliable than another. There are a couple things you can do to limit the chance of a bad experience, regardless of where you're buying. First, pay a little more to buy from someone with lots of positive feedback. If it's Amazon, I almost never buy from someone with less than a 95% positive feedback rating. And I never buy from someone without several hundred positive feedbacks. Second, I'm kind of a snob about the books I buy. I want them to be in as perfect condition as is reasonably possible. I've learned that unless the seller tells you, that there are no marks or writing, you simply can't trust that there are no marks, even if the book is classified as "Like New". If the book really is like new, and really has no marks, most experienced sellers will specifically say so. The only exception here is for certain dealers who in my experience generally underrate their books. A good example is Powell's Books. If they say a book is in "Very Good" condition, I would trust it to actually be in near new condition. That is the exception rather than the rule, though. At the end of the day, if you're buying on line, I don't think there is a better place to buy than eBay. Most sellers usually have a photograph or two, and I have a pretty good feel at this point as to who I can trust and who I can't. That said, even doing all that, you're still going to get burned on occasion. Comes with the territory. Researcher, I’ve used all of those resources and more and in the proces have bought more books than I’d ever care to admit. At the end of the day, I don’t think any one of them is more reliable than another. There are a couple things you can do to limit the chance of a bad experience, regardless of where you’re buying. First, pay a little more to buy from someone with lots of positive feedback. If it’s Amazon, I almost never buy from someone with less than a 95% positive feedback rating. And I never buy from someone without several hundred positive feedbacks. Second, I’m kind of a snob about the books I buy. I want them to be in as perfect condition as is reasonably possible. I’ve learned that unless the seller tells you, that there are no marks or writing, you simply can’t trust that there are no marks, even if the book is classified as “Like New”. If the book really is like new, and really has no marks, most experienced sellers will specifically say so. The only exception here is for certain dealers who in my experience generally underrate their books. A good example is Powell’s Books. If they say a book is in “Very Good” condition, I would trust it to actually be in near new condition. That is the exception rather than the rule, though.

At the end of the day, if you’re buying on line, I don’t think there is a better place to buy than eBay. Most sellers usually have a photograph or two, and I have a pretty good feel at this point as to who I can trust and who I can’t. That said, even doing all that, you’re still going to get burned on occasion. Comes with the territory.

]]> By: Randy B. http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/#comment-65426 Randy B. Sun, 17 Aug 2008 03:07:42 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4068#comment-65426 #60 -- classic! #60 — classic!

]]> By: Aaron Brown http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/08/15/books-you-wish-you-had-bought/#comment-65425 Aaron Brown Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:35:28 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/?p=4068#comment-65425 :) :)

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