Wilmington Colored Library

This was a pretty unusual find, this book stamped Wilmington Colored Library, Wilmington, NC. I feel confident they weren't referring to the ink content of the books.

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It is an odd thing, the idea of a separate library for blacks and for whites. Having a multiracial family, where would we go to find books? This library is, thankfully, no longer in existence. I suppose it was somehow merged with the Wilmington Public Library at some point. I wonder just a bit how gracefully that was accomplished, though.

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Recently, I have found that libraries are the dumping grounds for elderly people who should be at home being watched by someone competent, rather than having their loved ones drop them off for a day of communing with books and library patrons. An elderly man recently approached me and offered to throw the boy to my immediate right through a window. The boy happened to be my 9 year old son. Apparently, some people would still like their libraries black and white.

North Arkansas Regional Library

This woman was from Arkansas, so I was very pleased to find a book from Arkansas for her. It is important for me to match the right person to the memory the book carries. I rather like her attitude.

Public Library Detroit Michigan

I have never spent any time in Detroit, although I have had the distinct pleasure of circling its airport. I would like to see their library some day. The card envelope inside their books is very elegant. I suspect their downtown library must be a place that looks important and impressive, and is proud of the knowledge it holds. As it should be.

Discard

I love a book sale. This weekend has been home to two such sales, one for the Glendale Public Library, and the other for the Phoenix Public Library. It is fascinating to see what is discarded by the library and others. Interestingly, most of the books discarded here at the book sales in Arizona are relatively new. Do people here not hang on to things the way they do in other places? It is as if the books represent a place whose history is rather brief. Or perhaps it is representative of a society that is moving forward and not looking back; I'm not sure.

Bertrand Smith's Acres of Books

Old men in hats. In a city known for its snowbirds, getting behind an old man in a hat means you are going to be late to wherever it is you're going.

This is my 99th drawing in this series. It's hard to believe I have done that many. Anyway, you can purchase the original on eBay this week, or you can follow the links to Cafepress, where you can get it on cards and journals.

The bottom right hand side is stamped Bertrand Smith, Acres of Books, 340 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, Calif.

Ex Libris

This guy looks like a bit of a psycho. I probably dated him.

Anyway, this is a drawing of a man on the inside cover of a discarded book - a dictionary, to be exact. It makes a nice journal or card for the person who likes having pictures of psychos on their stuff. You can find him on the aforementioned stuff at Cafepress by following this link. You can also follow one of the eBay links where the original will be on sale shortly.

Hollywood Evening High School

This was drawn on a book that was once the property of Hollywood Evening High School, Los Angeles City High School District. I believe it was something by Shakespeare, but I could be mistaken. Anyway, this character sort of reminded me of someone who might be attending night high school and going to auditions during the day. Disappointment is tough stuff.

You can get him on cards and journals. They won't be disappointing.

The New York Public Library

I feel like I vaguely know this woman, though probably not. The unkept eyebrows and mustache remind me of a certain art teacher from college who made us draw eggs for an entire semester with vine charcoal on newsprint. How much worse could it have gotten?

This was a book titled Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, and Trapunto, and it was by someone named Newman. It came from the New York Public Library's Mid Manhattan Library. She looks good on both cards and journals, in as much as she will ever look good. You can find her at Cafepress, just follow one of the zillion or so links on this site.

Tales of Southern Rivers

This rather amiable fellow was drawn on the inside cover of a book titled Tales of Southern Rivers, by Zane Grey. It is discarded from the Wilmington Public Library in Wilmington, NC. Two of the borrowing rules were crossed out, so I guess they no longer apply. Kinda like Bill Clinton and the Seven Commandments. OK, we won't go there.

I never understood why there were British and American spellings for gray, or is it grey? I try to rotate back and forth in my writing, so I am right roughly half of the time. It's the best I can manage.

If you hit the title of the blog up there, it will take you to this item at my Cafepress Store, and you can be impressed by how together it is. I know I am.

Sad, Puppy Dog Eyes

Yeah, those are kind of sad, puppy dog eyes. Doesn't go too far with me; ask my kids. This is drawn on the inside of another book from the Maricopa County Library District. The odd brown spots are from some non-archival tape used to hold one of those brittle plastic covers in place. Covers have improved, although I'm not sure how much libraries use them anymore. Now they just buy softcovers and toss them when they get old. It's probably just as economical.

This guy makes a good journal cover. Or get him on a card that you can send to your mother. She thinks you're weird, anyway, so what's the difference?

Overdue Books

I love the way libraries work today. You go online to see what they have, you use your library card number to reserve the book and have it sent to the branch of your choice, they email you when it gets there, and you can renew pretty much endlessly online. Is that cool, or what?

When my kids were small, they would invariably be sick on the day the library books were due, and I could never get to the library to do the renewal thing, and going was such a hassle. Then there were the card catalogs, and the computers the size of a Buick that ran slower than molasses uphill on a cold day, or [insert your own analogy here.] Now, going to the library is a fun experience, like calling in your order for dinner and picking it up on the way home.

It is interesting to me that this book was due in 14 days, according to the sticker. People must have read faster back then.

You can press the Overdue Books headline, and it will take you far away to where this guy lives on a journal in your future.

Woody Allen Glasses

I wonder if Woody Allen just goes to Lenscrafters and has the lenses replaced in the same frames every year, or does he get new frames? And if he does get new frames, why not an undated style? The same goes for Dominick Dunne with his little round lenses. Don't these guys ever upgrade?

Anyway, here is a little sketch on a book from the Terry Campus Library of the Delaware Technical and Community College in Dover, Delaware. He must be a Woody Allen fan.

He is available on journals and cards through Cafepress; a most unusual gift idea.

Maricopa County Library

This guy was once proudly shelved at the Maricopa County Library, here in Arizona. Maricopa County is less well known for its libraries than it is for its rather unusual sheriff, Joe Arpaio. Here, the prisoners wear pink underwear and honest-to-goodness black & white striped prison uniforms. [Yes, the horizontal stripes are most unflattering.] I bought this book legitimately, just so you know. I'd never want to go to jail here.

It would make a novel gift for your favorite librarian, the one with the pink hair.

Old Days

It's kind of fun to look at old stuff, like old library books where they hand stamped the due date, and the ink color changed each year. How cool is that? Maybe there are some librarians out there who remember that sort of stuff. Anyway, this woman was drawn on a discarded library book, which had date stamps from April 12, 1943 to May 8, 1954.

You can find her on cards and journals in my Cafepress Store, just hit one of the many links. She would make a most unusual gift.

Producing Amateur Entertainments

The title of the book I destroyed here was Producing Amateur Entertainments, by Helen J Ferris. Likely a pretty forgettable book in our society now. It was discarded by the Wilmington Public Library in Wilmington, NC. The guy I drew reminded me in some way of an old vaudeville kind of character. He should be smoking a Cuban cigar, perhaps. Anyway, you can click on the post title and it will whisk you away to my Cafepress store, which is not entirely unentertaining, if you like that sort of thing.

No Maps

Another drawing in colored pencil...

This was a book that had maps on the inside of the covers. I don't remember what the book was, to be honest. Anyway, the maps show an area of eastern Europe / Asia from Finland down to Cyprus. He's young, and doubtless looking for trouble.

A very cool piece for a journal or greeting cards.

Illustration Friday: Green

This is a guy I drew for Illustration Friday when the word was "Green." I used a green prismacolor pencil, nothing fancy. I kind of like the way he is peering out from where the sticker is partly torn off.

Stamped below is: Memorial Library; Reformed Presbyterian Church; Phoenix, Arizona.

You can get him on greeting cards or a journal through Cafepress.

Remember, it isn't easy being green.

Illustration Friday: Emergency

I did a drawing of this fellow for Illustration Friday. The theme of the week was "Emergency," and this guy's recent participation in such a situation made him a good choice.

That's going to be quite the shiner.

The card in the book says Marty Mann Answers Your Questions About Drinking and Alcoholism. Pretty appropriate, I guess.

Anyway, you can get it as a journal, or cards that you can send to your designated drivers who got you home safely.

Library Series Journals and Cards

This is actually one of my favorite Library People. Hand written on the inside of the book is: Albert A Kosower; Lancaster Th. Seminary; Room 105; 2/26/37; 3427 Daisy Ave.; Cleveland, Ohio.

This face has seen a lot, I imagine.

See more at Cafepress - http://www.cafepress.com/ottoblotto/3506727

Library People

I started this blog to show people items from my Library People series.

This man was drawn on a book that was titled The Secret of Dreams, by Walter A Stewart.

It was discarded from Gerard High School; 2252 North 44th Street; Phoenix, Arizona; and below that is some information on a catholic high school that is barely legible.

Journal $9.99

Greeting Card $2.99

Greeting Card 10 pack $16.99

Greeting Card 20 pack $26.99

Note Cards 10 pack $11.99

Note Cards 20 pack $19.99