#ThingsIHaveUsedForBookmarks: Leaving Our Mark

Might as well just re-purpose the note that came along with the book from the pub as a bookmark, right?

We’ve all done it. As avid readers we’ve all exclaimed at least once, “Where the hell is my bookmark!?”, while frantically flipping through the pages of our current book, or patting the area around where we were reading in search of the vanishing page saver. We’ve all experienced a bookmark shortage at one time or another. Reading more than one book at a time, our bookmarks spread thin amongst the growing pile of literature that we have stacking up on our bed side tables.

I think how a reader handles a situation like this is a window into their psyche. Some who find themselves in a bookmark shortage situation will fold the corner of the page they’re on and close the book without a second thought. Yet the thought of the aforementioned method brings anxiety and outrage to others: I must keep my books in mint condition! How we leave our mark on a book, whether it be by the crease caused on a corner by eager flipping, the page folded to mark a favorite spot, or the absence of wear and tear by gentle turning says something about who we are. With my seasoned background in armchair psychology and hobby-ed neuroscience, I plan to explore this topic over the next few months.

One side of our brain may love the romantic idea of a book looking well loved; well read with dog eared pages and a spine that is sentimentally creased down the center. But the other side screams at the nerve of ever thinking about ruining one of those pristine pages. Even the thought of laying the book face down, open on a table or chair to mark our place is appalling. All of our book spines must be as smooth as the day we bought the book from the bookstore.

 

The truth is, I have an eclectic collection of a few purchased bookmarks, some gift given bookmarks, and some “free from author events” bookmarks. But the majority of my bookmarks are those that came to fill that role out of necessity. When you are a voracious reader, anything becomes fair game as a spot saver. That’s why I freaked out when I saw the tags in the photos below last week. Like the dork that I am, I was so tickled to see this simple, obvious, innovative idea used by this clothing company, Paris Blues. I was like Yes! I’ve totally used clothing price tags for page markers before. This is so smart of them!

 

As someone who is completely OCD about recycling and re-purposing, this clothing brand made me want to buy everything they make just because of the tags. Sooo lame, I know. But as a book lover, seeing this while shopping in a place other than a bookstore caught me off guard in the most delightful way. Great marketing technique, Paris Blues. I applaud you. *claps*

This is the first post in a mini-series of monthly posts. In my next #ThingsIhaveUsedForBookmarks post I will be featuring my current “official” bookmark collection.

What’s your bookmarking style? Have you ever used any of the previously mentioned methods? I’d love to psychoanalyze hear your bookmarking stories.