Bookplates

I was just showing a friend the bookplates which can be downloaded for free (any non-commercial use) to personalise books - such a wonderful resource, and realised I hadn't done a post about it here...

My Home Library
This was an initiative of author Anne Fine when she was UK Children's Laureate 2001 - 3 to encourage children to develop a "home library" by buying second hand books and personalising them with their own bookplate. There are colour and black and white plates, smaller, medium and large sized, with a variety of wording... There is an invitation to artists to provide bookplates for donated books and a few bookplates are there now that say "This book was donated to ... by..." which might be useful for school libraries.

"Everyone needs a Home Library. Make sure that yours keeps growing. Don't forget that books furnish the mind, and unfurnished minds are EMPTY and TIRESOME."

This website also includes tips and tricks for finding books, reviews and fun stuff, and a page with a few suggestions for teachers.

In New Zealand, The Children's Bookshop website has some bookplates by NZ artists including Robyn Belton, Dave Gunson and Gavin Bishop...