@24hourlibrary: Did you know there is a secret code in many public libraries? As a librarian, do I recommend this practice? No. Ultimately, it’s still a defacement of public property. But am I still kind of delighted when I come across it? Yes. As a piece of historical record, it’s a fascinating look into one individual’s reading habits. Old enough collections can allow you to trace a reader’s whole history, sometimes even with a dated timeline. Occasionally you’ll find books with multiple markings, signifying that the book passed through several readers’ hands — readers who knew, next time they browsed at the library, they could check for their unique mark and see they’ve already read the book that caught their eye this visit. And if you’re someone who prefers to not keep a record of your checkouts through the integrated library system and your library account (which I recommend — the existence of it means it’s available to obtain by court order and your reading is nobody’s business but your own), this is a great reader solution. But as the librarian, I say, “Tsk tsk!”

Abby 📚 Librarian

Open In TikTok:

Region: US

Thursday 09 April 2026 00:22:15 GMT