LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Several people asked for a hit....... seems I'm not the only one with sliding
books! Thanks to everyone for their information and advice. This group is
the greatest!
Kathy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've used the cork pads (precut). They are fine but over the yrs. (10+ yrs.)
they do tend to separate and slip and get gooey. I've got them on my very
old bookends which have lost their grip and don't seem to work without the
cork.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It has been my experience that the only bookends that will hold oversized
books (or a mixture of oversized and normal like I have in my nonfiction)
are the 9" steel that Highsmith (and others) carries. I have used them with
and without the cork base. The cork works better than the bookend alone,
but deteriorates over time and leaves messy residue on the shelf. I expect
you would find the same problem with tape, though I have never used this
method.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kahy, I've had bookends with the cork and them some older ones with this
foamy like material. The foamy kind deteriorates and has left the glue on
the bookshelves. The kind with cork does seem to do better, but they still
fll off sometimes...and still slip sometimes. If you hear of any that is
highly recommended, please post a hit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The thermoplastic that Highsmith sells works very well. At
least I think it's the thermoplastic, because it certainly
isn't the cork and you didn't mention a 3rd option. (I don't
have the catalog at home this weekend.)
When we moved into our current library in '95 we had to buy
all new bookends. We tried the "The End" kind at first
because they had worked so well on the metal shelving in our
previous facility. They didn't work at all on the 1" wood
shelves we have now because they kept breaking. So we bought
plain large metal bookends. Along with sliding all over the
shelves, they scarred up the new wood finish! So I ordered
(from Highsmith) the T-shaped thermoplastic and put that on
the bookends we already had. It worked great. They don't
even slide when you _want_ them to! Now we buy the large
metal bookends with the stuff already on them.
I've never used the shelf tape, but you don't really need it
with the thermoplastic bookends.
And I would be concerned about damaging the finish of wood
shelves if you needed to replace it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have the Highsmith thermoplastic bookends on wooden shelfs and they are
excellent.
Each year I buy another box or two in order to phase out the cork and ugly
ones.
If you have metal shelves, you might need a different kind but I'm not sure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kathy, I took the advice of another LM_NETter a while back suggesting
that the thermoplastic works very well. I've tried it and like it.
It really does do the job.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's a problem! You should definitely go with the largest, heaviest
bookends you can buy (even for small books--I made the mistake of ordering
small bookends for fiction and pbs, and they _don't_ hold). My shelves are
wood (some) and veneered particle board (some) and I find the cork is the
best base. But even that can't hold some books. Last year I found some
rubber coasters at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Later, I found this stuff also
made into a mat to put in your crisper. It's about 1/4" thick rubber with
holes in it. The coaster size is just right to cut into thirds and glue
onto the bottom of bookends. Those bookends _will not_ move now. The stuff
really clings to the shelf surface.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have never applied the thermoplastic from Highsmith myself, however, I have
purchased their bookends that come with it and they are like the Cadillac of
bookends. They hold so well that you have to allow a bit of room between your
last book and the end, because they don't budge. I would assume that the
thermoplastic "stuff" that you buy would do the job just as well!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The best non slip material I have used (and it really works) is found at
WalMart in the shelf lining area. It is a new rubbery -like material. I used
to find the same material for non skid carpeting. It's very inexpensive and
it's great. I cut a strip and put it on all of my book carts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have used both the cork and the thermoplastic. I prefer the thermoplastic.
Both do a good job, but the cork gets sticky in the heat (and I do have air
conditioning) and leaves a sticky mess on the bookend and the shelf. I have
not had that problem with the themoplastic.
Kathy Walker
Home walker3715@aol.com
School kwalker@fairfield.k12.sc.us
Website http://www.myschoolonline.com/SC/mrs_walker
McCrorey-Liston Elementary School
1978 State Hwy. 215 S
Blair, SC 29015
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.html
See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors:
http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=
LM_NET
Archive Home