Any Book or Readers Corner at work?

[ClaesGefvenberg]

Somebody had a brainwave at work the other day, and unloaded a heap of old books in a corner. Others (myself included) did the same thing, and all of a sudden we have a kind of informal library here. Great! :thumbsup:

Do you lot have anything similar?

/Claes

[kasie]

My friend's son works in a place that has a Book Box in the canteen - anyone can donate or borrow the books so when I have books I don't want anymore I give them to him to take to work.

I used to make a point of having coffee with certain colleagues regularly - we'd sidle up to each other and mutter out of the corner of the mouth 'Read any good books lately?' as if it were some kind of reprehensible activity. :D People got to know we had a kind of informal Book Club going and would drop by and join in the conversation.

[Lokasenna]

A few weeks ago I went up to the Psychology/Neuroscience Department - I earn money by being a guinea pig for their experiments. There was, I was pleased to note, a table in the foyer with the sign 'Book Swapping Table' stuck next to it.

I was less pleased to note that, on closer inspection, the two books at the top of the pile were both the autobiography of Katy Price. Still, at least its a start. And, it'd be kind of daft to have one here in the English Department.

[Paulclem]

My colleagues go to each other's houses once a month as a book club. I can't go, which is why I originally joined litnet. A book corner would be good though. We have a Tutor room that has space for one. I think I'll suggest ti.

[JuniperWoolf]

Hmm, good idea.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

My friend's son works in a place that has a Book Box in the canteen - anyone can donate or borrow the books so when I have books I don't want anymore I give them to him to take to work.More or less the same setup as here, then. I still don't know who initiated it by he way.


we'd sidle up to each other and mutter out of the corner of the mouth 'Read any good books lately?' as if it were some kind of reprehensible activity. Yes. According to some people it is...


And, it'd be kind of daft to have one here in the English Department.Ah. Yes, you have a point there.


I think I'll suggest ti.Brilliant. :thumbsup:


Hmm, good idea.Yes, I believe so... In fact, I'll bring some additions to that pile at work today.

/Claes

[Vonny]

"Claas" ...a "long A" sound, I suppose. I have a feeling I'm still not pronouncing it quite right.

I wonder, do other people donate books to that corner that are worth reading? Any sci-fi in there?

My experience is something like Lokasenna's (I didn't recognize Katy Price so I had to google that. :rolleyes:)

Where I live there is an interest in that usual tabloid fare, with everyone expressing shock and disgust as they consume it. ...But much worse, here, is a particular political/religious bent, and the communal bookcase is simply another area where everyone expresses solidarity. When I look over the book titles I notice myself feeling a little sick. I just tend to keep a low profile. Only among close friends do I whisper about what I read and share books.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

"Claas" ...a "long A" sound, I suppose. I have a feeling I'm still not pronouncing it quite right.Yes, you do.


I wonder, do other people donate books to that corner that are worth reading? Any sci-fi in there?Yes and yes.


My experience is something like Lokasenna's (I didn't recognize Katy Price so I had to google that. I had to resort to a search too, and it would seem that our ignorance on the subject cuased us no major harm... :rolleyes:


Only among close friends do I whisper about what I read and share books.No whispering here. I often talk about literature, and I carry the scars to prove it. A typical example: I talked to a new coworker and when it came to describing myself I naturally told her about my passion for literature. She rolled her eyes and said: 'Oh God, what a boring life you must have'. She pitied me, but failed to see that the feeling was mutual. :rofl:

/Claes

[Vonny]

You seem a riot!! :smilewinkgrin:

I just hope the search for Katy did my computer no major harm... hope my anti-viral is up to date!

[Lokasenna]

My experience is something like Lokasenna's (I didn't recognize Katy Price so I had to google that. :rolleyes:)

I apologize unreservedly for introducing her into your lives. I'm sure I have somehow committed a crime against humanity.:lol:

[LitNetIsGreat]

Somebody had a brainwave at work the other day, and unloaded a heap of old books in a corner. Others (myself included) did the same thing, and all of a sudden we have a kind of informal library here. Great! :thumbsup:

Do you lot have anything similar?

/Claes

There used to be a book corner in the last place I worked (seven or so years ago). It was quite a good idea. I brought things like Cevantes, Sherlock Holmes and all sorts of other stuff, and others brought good things too. But then one day someone annoyed the boss - I think someone suggested that the canteen was getting a little too dirty, so he picked up all the books and threw them out in the bins, as part of the cleaning up see? So that was the end of that. Wonder why I left that job?

Overall though, I think they are a good idea. I also saw a similar thing in a small village, where people where leaving books in and old disused red phone booth. What a good thing. The only thing left in phone booths round my end is graffiti.



A few weeks ago I went up to the Psychology/Neuroscience Department - I earn money by being a guinea pig for their experiments. There was, I was pleased to note, a table in the foyer with the sign 'Book Swapping Table' stuck next to it.

I was less pleased to note that, on closer inspection, the two books at the top of the pile were both the autobiography of Katy Price. Still, at least its a start. And, it'd be kind of daft to have one here in the English Department.

May one ask what sort of psychological experiments you go through for cash? No, no on second thoughts, probably best not to ask.

[Lokasenna]

May one ask what sort of psychological experiments you go through for cash? No, no on second thoughts, probably best not to ask.

Oh, I do loads of stuff up there - the money's quite good. The oddest experiment had me sat in the laboratory playing Pong while they electrocuted my brain. They seemed quite excited by my inability to concentrate while having a pulse beaten into the back of my skull.

Crazy, crazy people... but better funded than my department!

[LitNetIsGreat]

Oh, I do loads of stuff up there - the money's quite good. The oddest experiment had me sat in the laboratory playing Pong while they electrocuted my brain. They seemed quite excited by my inability to concentrate while having a pulse beaten into the back of my skull.

Crazy, crazy people... but better funded than my department!

Wow that sounds great fun, if a little unusual, I've not played pong for years and years.

[TurquoiseSunset]

Well, I'm not sure a book corner will be utilized at my work, between the noise, foosball table and the sport on t.v., but we have discussed something similar... A few of us have e-readers (mine's coming next week, hooray!) and we decided to create a shared folder somewhere on the network where we can share e-books.

As for my unwanted books, I take them to my local public library, because their funding is terrible and they need all the help they can get. They are always so grateful when I donate a few books, shame.

[Vonny]

Turquoise Sunset, your location, "Isn't it obvious" :lol: We have the same library! And here a lot of what gets donated is the same political/religious propaganda that they already have a dozen copies of, so they end up in the "for sale" room. If it's a novel it's something like Janette Oke or the "Left Behind" series. Well, it's for sure they've left me far behind! At my library they will not buy any older book, only the newly published. As older books wear out, they are not replaced. I asked the librarian, "Is it because older books aren't of value?" She said that's just the way it is. They keep a few classics on hand such as Dickens that come from donations, but otherwise all older books are phased out, which mostly leaves me out of luck.

The e-reader: I keep pondering that purchase. The most popular brand e-reader has been reduced in price in the last few days. They now have a model that is less expensive if you are willing to accept a few advertisements on the screen. My brother had already mentioned, "You wait, advertising will begin to infiltrate those e-readers," and sure enough, there it is happening. I'm not sure if I want to buy more ads, and eventually all e-readers will carry them, I believe. Oh well, I will probably still get an e-reader.

Lokasenna, I'm overlooking the K.P. incident... fortunately my computer hasn't yet contracted hepatitis, and I feel compensated by another search - for "music to read by" which has led me to Brahms. :smile5:

Oh I should edit. I didn't mean to say that our library only carries religious/political, but that is what is predominate among donations. Also, I feel a bit intimidated to check out subject matter that is frowned upon in my small community.