I have long touted the Library of America volumes as marvelous
examples of craftsmanship. The look and
feel of the books enhances the enjoyment of the content of the volumes. They had a great product. I buy lots of LOA volumes.
So it is with great sadness, great, vast, overwhelming
sadness, that I report that my most recent purchase of a Library of America
volume (Bierce) has crushed my spirit.
They (the mysterious, omnipresent they) changed the paper being
used for the dust jackets. The old paper
was a glossy, sturdy affair; it was nice to just hold the volume. The new paper is rough, not glossy and just
feels like…well, paper. So suddenly instead
of experiencing joy at the mere holding of the volume, I feel…well, it feels like
an ordinary book and not like an Entryway into the Divine.
Yeah, I know times are tough and paper is expensive. But, really now. Would you put Our Lady of the Rocks in
a frame from Wal-Mart just to save a few dollars?
Dear Mr. Economist,
ReplyDeleteDid the LOA volumes decrease in price? Surely they aren't saving you a few dollars; but making a few more dollars off of you;) Very sorry for your dismay- Ask the supposed writer of this comment to tell you which subject is his favorite so far and why. It will cheer you up!
The paper used for the jacket has, in fact, not changed and is exactly the same as previous jackets.
ReplyDeleteInstead, the latest jackets have a scuff-free matte finish (with gloss highlights for the stripes and calligraphy) rather than gloss on the entire jacket.
For years we had to shrinkwrap our books because otherwise the gloss jackets would quickly become damaged and covered with smudges when in bookstores. As a result, readers couldn’t look at our books before purchasing them. This new style of lamination resists scuffing, fingerprints, oily stains, and similar damage. Give it some time; we think you’ll realize that this coating (which is actually more expensive than what we used to use) will last notably longer—and clean better.
We began making the switch several years ago, and the returns/waste of damaged books has in fact decreased dramatically.