Life Cycle of the Juvenile Series Book Collector
By James Ogden
Juvenile series book
collectors generally pass throw different levels and stages as they become
more sophisticated in their collecting. Collectors usually progress from a
Reader to a Gatherer to a Collector to Aficionado to Fanatic or they stop
somewhere in between.
LEVEL:
Reader
|
| |
Stage I
|
|
Read series books as a child. (Doesn't
matter what series). |
| |
Stage II
|
|
Stop reading series books |
| |
Stage III
|
|
Disposal of books by yourself, mother,
brother, sister or natural disaster. |
| |
Stage IV
|
|
Series books move to back of the brain,
thought about occasionally, but nothing done about it. |
| |
Stage V
|
|
Stumble upon one or two books from your
favorite series at a flea market, antique mall, garage sales, etc. |
LEVEL:
Gatherer
|
| |
Stage I
|
|
Decide to re-acquire your favorite series;
format and DJ's don't matter, you just want the books. |
| |
Stage IIa
or
|
|
If a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys/Tom Swift
collector, astounded that there are so many other series. |
| |
Stage IIb
|
|
If collector of other series, astounded
that anyone else has ever heard of your personal favorite. ("I’ve
never met anyone else who even knew who _____ was.") |
| |
Stage III
|
|
Really regret Reader - Stage III. |
| |
Stage IV
|
|
Discover that most of the book authors were
pseudonyms. |
LEVEL:
collector
|
| |
Stage I
|
|
"Gee, they would look better on the
shelf if they all matched." |
| |
Stage II
|
|
"Boy did I get ripped off at Reader -
Stage V and Gatherer - Stage I" |
| |
Stage III
|
|
Constantly on the lookout for "upgrades".
|
| |
Stage IV
|
|
Do one of the following: Create a special
area at home for display of your books, get a series book based license
plate, incorporate your favorite series into your internet id or name a
pet after a series book character. |
| |
Stage V
|
|
Find 5 books from the ____ series; decide
to collect that series as well. |
| |
Stage VI
|
|
Willing to admit to other "grown-ups" that
you collect "kid's" books. |
| |
Stage VII
|
|
Can follow conversations on at least one of
the following topics: Stratemeyer Syndicate, why the last book in a
series is usually the most rare, getting the smell out of books, Farah's
guide, how to determine a "first", laser DJ's, book grading, major
inconsistencies in your favorite series. |
| |
Stage VIII
|
|
Have picked up books from at least half a
dozen other series; plan on reading them all. |
| |
Stage IX
|
|
Start collecting series ephemera, if any
exists. |
LEVEL:
AFICIONADO
|
| |
Stage I
|
|
Plan vacations around series book
gatherings and/or book hunting locations. |
| |
Stage II
|
|
"Well, maybe I will try to get a set of
firsts." |
| |
Stage III
|
|
"Some of those firsts are hard to find,
I think I'll try for a complete set in format _____ as well." |
| |
Stage IV
|
|
Have picked up at least a dozen other
series, some of which you know that you will never read. |
| |
Stage V
|
|
Actively pursue books from other series. |
| |
Stage VI
|
|
You have run out of shelf space for your
books at least once, if not several times. |
| |
Stage VII
|
|
Can hold conversations on the following
topics: DJ protectors centerfold vs. no paper backing, series
authorship, series artists, minor inconsistencies in your favorite
series, etc. |
| |
Stage VIII
|
|
Add rider to homeowners insurance covering
your collection. |
LEVEL:
Fanatic
|
| |
Stage I
|
|
I think I will try to get every book in
every format available for my favorite series. |
| |
Stage II
|
|
I think I will collect foreign editions of
my favorite series. |
| |
Stage III
|
|
Name your children after series book
characters. |
| |
Stage IV
|
|
Decide to collect every series ever made;
just boys or girls. |
| |
Stage V
|
|
Decide to collect every series ever made;
both boys and girls. |
| |
Stage VI
|
|
Change your will to donate your collection
to a University. |
Originally
published in the Yellowback Library,
|
