I'm not exactly sure how it happened. I've known about Book Thing for at least 3 years, and I'm the daughter of two very literary people (a librarian and an english teacher, to be exact). I love books, I love old things, and I certainly love free things. And Book Thing of Baltimore is all that and more, but it took me until this weekend (when friends were visiting from out of town) to finally go. If you don't know about it, you should. Book Thing is a volunteer-run warehouse on 3001 Vineyard Lane in Baltimore. It was started and is still owned by a bearded hero named Russell Wattenberg, who relies on grant money and donations alone to run the space. All books are free, and get there by donation from businesses, schools, libraries, and individuals. What I assumed would be a big room with piles of books all over the floor, turned out to be four rooms, all with very inviting bookshelves and bins. They are all organized by section, un-intimidating, and filled with well-kept books. The fiction section was perhaps the biggest, and the "Art" books, at the front of the store, were the most picked through. There were some gems in the "gardening", "cooking", and "war" sections, and some pretty random finds in the "maps" section. I took home two very recent "New Yorker"'s, a "Gourmet" magazine, a book on old factories in New England, a collection of illustrated fairy tales, a James Beard cookbook, and a book called "The Right People" which looks to be a satire of upper class snooty snootersons, but I only read the first page, and really took it for the nice type on the cover.
Book Thing is open every weekend from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Sat/Sun) but they accept book donations via an outdoor drop-off all week long. It was busy enough when we went at noon on Sunday, but since there is no check-out, only a sheet where you write your name, # of books you are taking, and a message (if you feel like it), there is no line to wait in, or money to be exchanged. Instead, there are happy people, and signs that literally encourage you to "be greedy." Something our city thrives at!!
Even though I'm pretty much the last person in town to show up, I still feel like I'm in on the biggest secret in Baltimore.
Thanks, Russell.
3 comments:
this is my favorite place in baltimore! also the place where i pick up all my photo props! i especially love the biology and foreign language section.
I knew it!!!!! funny enough, I saw another indie crafter there as well, looking for books with great covers.... can you guess who!?
You forgot to mention the excellent selection of VHS tapes and audio cassettes in a cardboard box on the floor. "Maximum Vertical in Minimum Time!!!!"
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