Planet Library – Episode 1: Leaving the Nest

Frequently seen but rarely studied, discover the secret life of books in the new documentary series: Planet Library.

The writer Stephen King once said, “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” At the Plano Public Library, more than 40,000 books are added to the collection annually, with staff processing over 100 books each day. Here, we see a clutch of newly arrived books, ready to emerge from their cases.

However, these young books are not quite ready for the public.  They must first spend some time incubating while staff prepare all of the labels and tags that will mark them as official Plano Public Library books.

Once the books have developed enough, a librarian tags them, to gather information about their behaviors and migration patterns. This information will be used to identify good shelving grounds for future copies.

The youngest books in the collection have a special tag placed on them to designate their NEW status. The bright yellow coloration of this tag acts as plumage to allure readers.

Once the books have been properly tagged, they are placed into bins and sent to their new homes.

And off they go! The first steps on the journey to becoming well-loved library books are complete. Now they must face the trials and tribulations of the wild in, the public library.

Stay tuned for our next episode of Planet Library.