We don’t ask much of bookmarks. They can be any shape, any color, any material. They can say anything, or nothing at all. Sometimes they sit for years in a single book on the shelf, waiting patiently for you to return to the exact spot where you left off. I leave a lot of bookmarks in a lot of books. I see a lot of bookmarks fall out of returned books. I wonder what stories they have to tell. Do bookmarks get the appreciation they deserve?
To find out, I sent out a call asking NYPL staff to share pictures of their favorite bookmarks. Response was overwhelming! Below are just a few of the submissions. Do you have a favorite bookmark? Share a picture of it on social media, using the hashtags #nypllovesbookmarks and #librarieslovebookmarks so we can find it!
"My favorite bookmark is one that I only use for one specific book—
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The 'bookmark' is actually my wristband from the midnight release party, which was simultaneously one of the happiest AND saddest moments of my life." —Atticus Sutcliffe, Library Information Assistant, City Island Library
"I made this during a bookmark craft I was running for my teens. I'm a huge anime/manga fan and my forever favorite is Sailor Moon. So this bookmark reflects my love for the media and the character." —Renee Scott, Young Adult Librarian, Washington Heights Library
"One of my close friends found this in a hole-in-the-wall thrift store for 50¢ and gave it to me as part of a birthday gift. I've been using it ever since!" —Hunter Abini, Library Information Assistant, Harlem Library
"I actually made this one! Oil paints and acrylics on canvas cloth with gold stitching. :)" —Alma Sakic, Young Adult Librarian, Jerome Park Library
"The unicorn bookmark is. . . .about 32 years old. They sold them at my school cafeteria sales where kids could buy small trinkets for family and friends. This one was given to me by my best friend (who is still my best friend, 39 years later). I was very into unicorns as a kid at that age and loved this bookmark enough that I only used it for really long books because I didn't want to ruin it." —Stephanie Whelan, Senior Children's Librarian, Seward Park Branch Library
"I recently crocheted a couple of feathers to use as bookmarks :)" —Jenny Chisnell, Adult Librarian, Harry Belafonte Library
—Gregory Zeidner, Senior Librarian, St. George Library
"No special meaning here. Just love this bookmark. It's held quite a few pages over the last 10+ years." —Moriba Jackson, Supervising Librarian, Mid-Manhattan Library
"Years ago, while waiting for my son's results in a regional HS science fair, I found the cutest shop down the road. I could not resist this beauty. I'm using this pretty bird bookmark as I read books I purchased for him that we never got to. He grew up and flew the nest so quickly. Time really does fly." —Maura Muller, Volunteer Program Manager
"I'm one of those people who owns bookmarks, but always ends up using a post it or a stray piece of paper—like a bank receipt—instead, to mark my place. ( I have even used a paint chip.) I guess you could say that I like 'natural' bookmarks better. Here's a nice bookmark of a flamingo I found kicking around in my book-bag that I will surely never use." —Tim Tureski, Library Manager, Spuyten Duyvil Branch
"I made these while sitting in on a program at my branch. Thanks for letting me share." —Evelyn Williams, Adult Librarian, Fort Washington
"I received this at a great retirement party. Still the best." —Thaddeus Krupo, Adult Librarian, Riverside Branch
"[Above] is the Seward Park branch's very own bookmark. Its design is a nod to the stunning architecture of the building, the many children who use it, and the Lower East Side's history and remarkable diversity." —Andrew Fairweather, Adult Librarian, Seward Park Branch
"I made this bookmark during one of the last in-person programs we had at West Farms Library. My teens suggested the book titles." —Avigail Sharon, Young Adult Librarian, West Farms Library
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