What People are Reading

There are several ways to find out what people are reading: the bestseller lists of course, and running statistical reports of library circulation records, or skimming the holds and reshelving carts to see what people just returned and are about to take out. The holds cart (where we shelve books reserved by patrons) usually reflects the bestseller list, but the carts holding books waiting to be reshelved are real goldmines of random titles on every subject and by every author past and present. If you like arts and crafts, browse the 700's cart (700's are the Dewey numbers for those subjects.) This week I found eco-craft: recycle, recraft, restyle by Susan Wasinger, a nifty book about using everyday objects to create useful and unique household items. Ms. Wasinger has an amazing ability to repurpose mundane "trash" like old milk bottles for example to make quite stylish furnishings. A plastic milk jug light fixture looks very modern, like something from Ikea. Really. The idea of making art without an expensive trip to an art supply store is great. What's the worst that can happen? If you don't like the result, toss it in the recycle bin where it was headed anyway.