My (Public) Library's Cookbooks

[Carrot Top]

I've never done this before - bared my (public) library shelves for all to see.

But emboldened by suzilightning's having done exactly that in her foodblog this week, I found a camera and decided to give it a try.

Here is where it all happens:

The shelves are rather close, the aisles not too wide, so as you see while you can not view the entire batch of stacks there is that marvellous sense of privacy.

Here's a section that has Asian and Indian cookbooks. I was pleased to see that at least one of the books I requested the library purchase was checked out (Washoku by Elizabeth Andoh).

There are a total of twenty-three shelves of books. This includes food literature, wine, and desserts. It does not cover books focused on dieting-with-fad-diet-names, though it does include books that focus on healthy ways of eating that may include the word "diet" in their title.

Here is a section that attracted me . . . some big guns there with a little guy cuddled in between them. Who was it? I wondered.

Turns out to be "The Pat Conroy Cookbook" by who else than Pat Conroy whom I've never heard of before. (But of course I gave myself my screen name not having heard of the awk! comedian guy who stole the name from redheads world-round just for his own tawdry purposes, so what do I know.) The intro says that Pat Conroy is America's favorite storyteller, so I better take out the book. The first recipe I turn the page to is: Scottigilia. Fabulous.

Undoubtedly the book was just waiting there for me.

I do hope my show and tell will make you want to do the same.

Edited August 30, 2007 by Carrot Top (log)

[Carrot Top]

I did forget to mention that we have another library in town attached to the university, which any town resident can use (though it is rare that they do). I'll take photos if there is interest, but it's simple enough to post the contents (cookbooks) as they are listed online.

It's a wonderful collection. Just wonderful. There also is a "special collections" section in a separate part of the library for the "Peacock Harper Culinary Collection" which holds rare and historic cookbooks.

I hope someone else will post about their library's cookbooks. Otherwise I might have to take to travelling to different towns, taking photos of stacks of cookbooks in libraries. Maybe it will be a new career: Library Cookbook Reviewer. One never knows.

[Kayakado]

My new favorite resource is www.worldcat.org

The cookbooks of the world are at my fingertips thanks to Interlibrary Loan! I love it. I see a posting or read about a particular book, my library brings it to me at the click of a mouse.

[Terrasanct]

That's a lot of cookbooks for a university library!

I had that Pat Conroy cookbook; it sold pretty quickly. I remember it--looked interesting. I wish I had time to read all of the cookbooks that pass though here, but I wouldn't have time for anything else if I did!

I used to be very familiar with my library's cookbooks, but I haven't looked for a few years since my collection has grown larger than theirs.

[Carrot Top]

My new favorite resource is www.worldcat.org

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That sounds alluring.

That's a lot of cookbooks for a university library! 

I had that Pat Conroy cookbook; it sold pretty quickly.  I remember it--looked interesting.  I wish I had time to read all of the cookbooks that pass though here, but I wouldn't have time for anything else if I did!

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There are more culinary titles - if one alters the search to "culinary" and "sociology" or "history" or "psychology" or "economics" one can find some fascinating results.

I'm almost done with the Pat Conroy book - it's half-and-half cookbook and stories and more than worth every second spent reading it.

[CaliPoutine]

Our small town library has a decent cookbook section. I'll try to take pics next time. I usually use the interlibrary loan or the out of county loan. Out of county usually takes me to Toronto and they have loads of books.

The head librarian once scolded me though because I was requesting too many books from out of county. She told me it costs 50 bucks each time I request a book.

I was somewhat appalled that she had the nerve to scold me.

[suzilightning]

Here are some of the two shelves of NEW cookbooks:

and two old ones that happen to be two of my favorites.

[Carrot Top]

Ooooh boy. Just like Christmas!

Nice selection. We got several of those titles in "new" sometime last Spring. (One Spice Two Spice; Lidia's Italy; and The Lee Brothers book. Loved them all, One Spice Two in particular.)

Our small town library has a decent cookbook section. I'll try to take pics next time.  I usually use the interlibrary loan or the out of county loan.  Out of county usually takes me to Toronto and they have loads of books.

The head librarian once scolded me though because I was requesting too many books from out of county.  She told me it costs 50 bucks each time I request a book. 

I was somewhat appalled that she had the nerve to scold me.

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That sounds like a lot of money for one process. I wonder if it really is true. Considering that library budgets are often run on shoestrings, it doesn't sound exactly right but who knows.

Awaiting photos.

Take one of that librarian too, so we can assess whether she looks like a trustworthy character or not.

[MelissaH]

Suzilightning, I wish I lived in your library district! Our library's currently undergoing renovation, and they won't be back home for a good long while yet.

MelissaH

[Misa]

Our small town library has a decent cookbook section. I'll try to take pics next time.  I usually use the interlibrary loan or the out of county loan.  Out of county usually takes me to Toronto and they have loads of books.

The head librarian once scolded me though because I was requesting too many books from out of county.  She told me it costs 50 bucks each time I request a book. 

I was somewhat appalled that she had the nerve to scold me.

←

That sounds like a lot of money for one process. I wonder if it really is true. Considering that library budgets are often run on shoestrings, it doesn't sound exactly right but who knows.

Awaiting photos.

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I actually changed libraries because one of the librarians was being really rude to me about my interlibrary loans and my "large" amount of holds (I was informed she had to "use another shelf" because I was "hogging space"). She then told me there was no way I'd be able to read all those books before they were due. But, see, it was nearing the holidays and the library, which had been suffering from budget problems, was going to be closed for a week and a half, and UGH I needed to find some cool new stuff to cook (well, bake, mostly, but you know...). Grr. Still makes me mad a few years later.

[moreace01]

I had the same problem with too many holds when I lived in Milwaukee - I could put stuff on-hold ONLINE and then go pick them up when they came in at the library's DRIVE-THRU. It was heaven! Oh how I miss that. I live in Chicago now and the library system isn't quite as high-tech as Milwaukee's was. I actually have to either GO to the library or call someone to put things on-hold. I'd prefer to cut out the middleman. Plus, cannot renew online - must renew in person. I have certainly racked up my share of fines here. I consider it a donation (albeit non-tax deductible).

Still, I do love going there to browse and see what I can find on the shelves that I've never gotten around to reading (picked up Barbara Kafka's Roasting this weekend and a few weeks back picked up an ancient copy of Lobel's All About Meat).

[suzilightning]

not a cookbook but our assistant director noticed that that the last 3 digits of the barcode we assigned Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook were "666".

[Susie Q]

Even though I carry 4 library cards, I love the interlibrary loan system too.

The vast Los Angeles County and Long Beach City library systems are one reason I love So. Cal. and would hate to move.