What is an ex-library book?

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spiritual matter - 20 Jul 2009 17:57 GMT

What is an ex-library book? What does it mean?

http://for.theloveofbooks.com/2009/04/how-to-clean-and-repair-ex-library-books/

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the Omrud - 20 Jul 2009 18:04 GMT

> What is an ex-library book? What does it mean?
>
> http://for.theloveofbooks.com/2009/04/how-to-clean-and-repair-ex-library-books/

A library book is a book which you borrow from a lending library - you
sign it out and take it home, then return it when you've read it.

An ex-library book is a book which used to belong to a library.
Libraries often sell books which they no longer require - these books
may have been subjected to heavy handling by thousands of people, so
they might need repairing.

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David

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Leslie Danks - 20 Jul 2009 18:06 GMT

> What is an ex-library book? What does it mean?

http://for.theloveofbooks.com/2009/04/how-to-clean-and-repair-ex-library-books/

A book that used to belong to a library.

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Les (BrE)

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Don Phillipson - 20 Jul 2009 19:27 GMT

> > What is an ex-library book? What does it mean?

http://for.theloveofbooks.com/2009/04/how-to-clean-and-repair-ex-library-books/

> A book that used to belong to a library.

More exactly, this book (as categorized in the book trade, e.g. catalogues
of second-hand books) has visible marks that show it was formerly
in a library, not necessarily an institutional library. Books with
personal book plates are usually classed as ex-library, while
those in which an owner wrote his name are usually not. The
traditional lettering is "Ex libris" meaning "From the books of"
some named person (or organization.)

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Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

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Peter Duncanson (BrE) - 20 Jul 2009 18:10 GMT

>What is an ex-library book? What does it mean?
>
>http://for.theloveofbooks.com/2009/04/how-to-clean-and-repair-ex-library-books/

An "ex-library book" is a book that used to be a "library book". It is a
book that used to be the property of a library from which people can
borrow books.

Libraries will sell old books that they don't need.

When a library book is sold it becomes an ex-library book.

In this usage "ex-" just means "used to be".

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Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

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Adam Funk - 20 Jul 2009 21:40 GMT

> What is an ex-library book? What does it mean?
>
> http://for.theloveofbooks.com/2009/04/how-to-clean-and-repair-ex-library-books/

A book that used to be in a library --- ideally the library has sold
it or given it away (otherwise it's a "stolen library book").

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / July 2009

What is an ex-library book?