My New York Souvenir

Question: what souvenir does a lover of colours, books and libraries buy on her New York trip?

Answer: an ex-library book about colours from the Mid-Manhattan Public Library branch (i.e. the famous library you see in so many films). :-)

Tony and I are not interested in shopping when we’re on holiday. We’re not carrying bags full of clothes or accessories back to our accommodation every day. I was actually wondering what, if any, souvenir I’d buy from our trip. I didn’t want some plastic crap that I wouldn’t use. I was thinking maybe I’d buy a book about New York, but that seemed a bit superfluous, I’d read loads before we went there.

So when we visited the NYPL branch on 5th Avenue on the very first day in Manhattan, I was half-heartedly browsing in the souvenir/book shop when in a corner I spotted some shelves with ex-library books. Well, I had to check them out! And I quickly spotted this book about colours. I picked it up and flipped through the pages. Then I put it back on the shelf and wandered off, thinking maybe that was a silly thing to buy.

But then I thought it would actually be a rather lovely and special thing to buy. How many ex-library books from the Mid-Manhattan Public Library branch on 5th Avenue am I ever likely to own?! So I went back and picked it up again and bought it. So now I have this interesting book* about colours which is also a nice reminder of our trip to New York.

It is the perfect souvenir and I am so happy I bought it. :-)

*Roy G. Biv: An Exceedingly Surprising Book About Colour by Jude Stewart.

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2 Comments

  1. November 11, 2018 / 10:25 pm

    I love it!! What a great find. The NYPL gift shop is my favorite shopping in NYC… full disclosure, I'm a librarian. I've never noticed withdrawn books for sale there but I hope to find them next time.

    • November 20, 2018 / 9:49 am

      It is a great shop, so many lovely books! The withdrawn books were in the left hand corner just before you walk through to the little jewellery/gift section. :-)

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