MARKINGS IN BOOKS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25289, 15 September 1947, Page 3

MARKINGS IN BOOKS

LIBRARY SUBSCRIBERS’ HABITS CHECK ON STORIES READ Subscribers to Christchurch libraries may have noticed strange hieroglyphics marked in some of the books Sev borrow. They may have classed them as “doodling.” Mr E. J. Bell, librarian at the Christchurch Public Library, believes they are systematically used by many people so that they can check the books they have reaa* when making fresh selections. “The system must often break down,” he said, “because we often have half a dozen copies of one book and also we erase all markings seen when books are returned. Those that we miss probably do not cause much damage; but to say the least, they must be very 'annoying to other readers. “It was easy to confirm that readers had different marks by browsing through books of a particular class,” Mr Bell said. At random he took a dozen detective stories from a shelf. Between the first and second words on the title page of several was an inverted “V.” Some of the same books also had a shorthand symbol above the first word of the title. Mr Bell said that there were many devices used by readers in his library. One person apparently underlined the first three letters of the title to indicate that he had read a book. Others blacked in certain letters. One heavy reader encircled the third letter in the title Another signed with the pawnbroker’s three balls. Markings on the title page were most easily found; but careful examination would shovz that other people marked certain pages in books they had read. One put a circle round the number on page 20. Another used a triangle on another page. Initials and other devices were also used. Some people marked the final page or the fly leaf. There was another fairly common addiction—that of writing comments in the margin, said Mr Bell. The more studious would revise grammar, amend factual information, and draw attention to breaches of habit by wellknown characters. One popular hero of detective novels inevitably called for a whisky and soda; but when, in s recent story, he changed his choice, a reader wrote: “Wot. No whisky?” The most irritating qommentator was the one who simply noted his opinions on any and every topic in a book. An amazing assortment of articles was left in books returned to the library, said Mr Bell. Most of them had apparently been used as bookThey included paper clips, hair aides, accounts, letters, wool, pieces of fabric, small combs, and even spectacles in their cases. Once he had found a 10s note. Every effort was made to return such property. Mr Bell appealed to subscribers not to place bulky objects in books. When the book was closed they forced the binding apart and the volume quickly deteriorated, he said. He also asked that pages should not be turned down. The lower-grade papers now being used were brittle and broke quickly after such treatment.