32 Comments

Love "trabble". It reminds me of a group of something, like birds maybe, or small furry creatures, "I saw a trabble of possum while walking in the woods". I can also relate to returning a book to a non-originating library. While working for the Austin Public Library, we had a shelf designated for books that were returned in the drive-through or indoor book drop, and not part of the APL system. We would log those books on a special clipboard with date received, what library it was from, and so on. It no one came to fetch the books, we put them on a book sale shelf. Not only were the books not returned to their homes, but the paperwork of taking a book out of circulation (for those libraries with the MIA books), can be arduous. Loved this post, btw.

Expand full comment

Such a great post! I've been exploring my own relationship with the library recently - and I'm reading tonnes!

I'd never heard of a 'trabble'. Learning loads from my reading at the moment!

Expand full comment

Tonnes? You are so metric, Rebecca. Why not join my newly-created Society Against Metrification? We still sell fruit by the poiund, and deal in pounds, shillings and pence. We measure the temperature in Fahrenheit. Thanks for kind words about the post, and glad to hear you're reading "tonnes". I'm borrowing lots, but that's not quite the same thing.

Expand full comment

LOL - I love that ‘borrowing’ is not the same as ‘reading’! I have an ongoing discussion - so far lasting years - with someone about how having books about art on one’s shelf doesn’t make one an artist!

I can only get on board with temperatures in Fahrenheit when it’s 82°F - and that’s only because I know that it equates to 28°C! 😉

Expand full comment

Hadn't heard of the seed pods, but that's great.

Amusing story, Terry. Made me wonder whether one could continually borrow the same book from the next library to return it to the first, and so on, in an endless cycle. Not possible in the current digital age, as you state.

Expand full comment

I've just found the story, in a book on my bookshelves. What happened was that he borrowed the book from Library 1, but couldn't find it when it was due to be returned. So he borrowed it from Library 2 but then lost that copy. Then he borrowed it frLibrary 3, and so on. In the end, he had borrowed 14 copies from different libraries, and because each had to be returned after 14 days, he was spending every day racing around from one library to the next. It's completely bonkers, but very funny.

Expand full comment

I think that was the gist of the story. I couldn't quite remember, or work it out exactly, but it was that sort of thing. Utterly bonkers!

Expand full comment

And the theme tunes for each of the characters are chefs kiss, especially Aunt Flo…

Expand full comment

Looking forward to hearing then! 😃

Expand full comment

Oh you must check out Bod especially - they don’t make em like that anymore. Here’s a good one https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XfFoj-gFP2M

Expand full comment

completely bonkers, and sadly at just my level!

Expand full comment

If I achieve nothing more than introducing you to Bod, I’ll feel my time on earth was well spent 😄

Expand full comment

😂 You sound as insane as I am. Nice to "meet" you!

Expand full comment

Likewise 😄

Expand full comment

😂

Expand full comment

Thanks, Vicki, I'll have a look. 😃

Expand full comment

Oh wow a Brainstawm TV show - YouTube here I come 😀 I’ve been inculcating an interest in ‘vintage’ kids tv (Mr Benn & Bod are particular faves) so it’d be great to try and find that one too

Expand full comment

i nhad a quick look but couldn't find it. I'll look again when I get a bit of time. There may be episodes on Vimeo. I hadn't heard of Benn and Bod eiether. Blimey, i've led a sheltered life

Expand full comment

A couple of years ago I tried to return one of my son’s gazillion Beast Quest books (not a literary series I would hugely recommend if you’re not familiar with it tbh 😄) to the main public library in town. After much confusion at the machine and then the help desk we finally worked out that it was actually from the school library. Oops! 🤦🏻‍♀️ Also, I’ve not thought about Professor Branestawm in years. Should def get my son onto him now our Beast Quest years are thankfully behind us…

Expand full comment

LOL. Thanks, Vicki, I'm glad I'm not the only one who does daft things like that. I haven't heard of the Beast books. I loved Professor Branestawm even as an adult. They made a TV series out of it, must have been in the 70s, and a friend and I used to go awound saying PRECISELY! based on it. I know there was a series made around ten years ago, but I haven't watched it. I don't think it needed someone making stupid faces to make it funny.

Expand full comment

When the Zombie Apocalypse occurs, and all things digital become dysfunctional, the Dewey Decimal System and date-stamped cards at the back of our books will be our salvation. Don't you miss seeing who had the book just before you, and before that, and that? Depending on the popularity of the book, those dates might go back a decade or more.

Expand full comment

In our libraries we can't see the name, but we can see the dates. I do wonder who was the person who first borrowed this 20 years ago! Agree about salvation 😃

Expand full comment

Thanks for bringing some levity to my Friday afternoon with this post!

Expand full comment

😄 Thanks, Robin. You're welcome!

Expand full comment

Our local library closed down during covid, so I was unable to return a few tomes of local history I'd borrowed. Lugging them into the brand new libraryplex, I was informed that these books had never existed - and would never exist. So, I have some lovely 19th century books on my shelf which I've been forced to own.

Expand full comment

Oh boy. What a hardship! Lol.

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
Sep 14
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

Does the other library know that you've STRAYED ? You have to be less cavalier about BOOKING AROUND then mentioning it ! 😁😆

Expand full comment

lol. i try to keep quiet about such things as a rule!

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
Sep 14
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

Pps Dewey eyed: groan!

Expand full comment

I think you've ended watching too much Star Trek https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trouble_with_Tribbles

Expand full comment