Month: May 2012

mmmm….Do You Smell That? Take A DEEP Breathe…. :)

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So…chemists at University College in London investigated  the odor of books and have concluded that “old books release hundreds of volatile organic compounds into the air from the paper.” Okay. I get that. Well, the lead scientist has described the smell as “A combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness.” And that’s why we all love the smell of old books! Acids and vanilla = perfect combo!

Researching a bit on this topic I learned that there is now a scratch-it that releases the smell of old books. To put on one’s I-pad or Nook or other e-readers. Really? That’s crazy! So people think that they can add a scratch-it sticker and feel better holding their e-reader because now it’ll seem like holding a book? mmm. I find that just craziness. Why not just purchase a used book? I guarantee you’ll appreciate that book a whole lot better. Remember it’s the experience.

 

 

 

What’s Going on in Otter Creek Used Books?

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Sitting in my rearranged front room sipping some ice tea (Oolong) from Stoneleaf Tea House, my courtyard neighbor and settling myself down to write. It’s been awhile since I’ve added anything. I’ll post pictures soon of the new room arrangement. I’m liking it better.

Life’s been good. Had a ton of boxes come in so I’ve been busy going through them and getting them on the shelves. I’m currently offering store credit for now. April and May are generally slow months here and this year I have to say, it’s no different even in this location. My sales haven’t been too far off from when I was located on Main Street but enough to make me curb spending and doing some fancy bookwork juggling. Looking forward to the summer months and the outdoors Farmers Market returning to the area.

 

So what’s been coming in? A lot of gardening, herbal, homesteading, beekeeping, philosophy, and fiction – hardcover and soft.  And vegetarian cookbooks. Oh and a signed John Denver. I was excited to see that. He was one of my heroes. Now know that I’m excited about seeing his signature. Yes, I put a value on the book and posted it on Abebooks where I sell online but that’s the business side of the store. I work mostly on the emotional side of books and the store, in general. I guess that’s why I have such a time adding books online. It’s so impersonal. I’d have to completely revamp my store life in order to accommodate selling online. I recognize in today’s market that is what I should be doing.  Am I wrong for being a throw-back to running a used bookstore?  Being in-store customer based? Possibly. I admit it but then I gotta be me, right?