MWINYD Question

[unknown]

Were all of the copies of My Work Is Not Yet Done signed by Ligotti and the illustrator?

[Dr. Bantham]

It is my understanding that there were 1000 copies of the first edition and 540 copies of the second edition. Both editions were not signed directly, but instead featured a bookplate laid in (loose) which is signed by both Ligotti and Morris. At least this is how I recall the matter. I'll have a looksee later tonight, as I have a copy of each.

[unknown]

Alright, thanks. Because I checked out MWINYD from the library and saw the bookplate signed by Ligotti and the illustrator

my reaction:

I was very tempted to keep the book, but, as it was, I already had a rather outstanding late fee...or the money to buy the book.

	MWINYD My Work Is Not Yet Done

[Dr. Bantham]

What a strange and wonderful library you must have access to! Considering there were only 1000 copies published (1540 counting the second printing), and that Mythos Books is certainly not among the mainstream publishers (nor should they aspire to be), I can not imagine the circumstances by which this volume found it's way into a public library. Perhaps you have a deviant librarian at work...

[phantasmagoria]

I just purchased a signed copy of MWINYD but I'm not sure if it is first or second printing. Which ISBN is the first, and which is the second (10 and 13) or do they stay the same?

	MWINYD My Work Is Not Yet Done

[Bleak&Icy]

Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Bantham

What a strange and wonderful library you must have access to! Considering there were only 1000 copies published (1540 counting the second printing), and that Mythos Books is certainly not among the mainstream publishers (nor should they aspire to be), I can not imagine the circumstances by which this volume found it's way into a public library. Perhaps you have a deviant librarian at work...

A number of years ago I was shocked to discover that Melbourne University Library had a copy of MWINYD, signed bookplate and all. In addition they had a pristine copy of The Nightmare Factory, apparently unread, its cover beautifully blue, its spine uncracked--and unlike my own poor battered copy, no wine stains! And they had the Thomas Ligotti Reader. All so very tempting--oh very tempting--but I am no book thief.

[Mamatas]

Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Bantham

I can not imagine the circumstances by which this volume found it's way into a public library. Perhaps you have a deviant librarian at work...

MWINYD was reviewed by Publishers Weekly in 2002 (the Amazon page for the book has the review for anyone interested) and libraries use those reviews to make their orders. Indeed, Worldcat.org tells me that 88 different library systems hold at least one copy of the Mythos edition with the ISBN 978-0965943376.

Libraries often have a fair amount of small press stuff. They like hardcovers because they last for decades, and they like well-reviewed material. Small presses love libraries too—bookstores buy books at some steep discounts whereas libraries often buy at a much higher price, sometimes even the cover price. They also don't return books, as bookstores often do when they go unsold for a few months. One hundred copies or so at $30 is a great bonus for Mythos or other publishers of similar size.

	MWINYD My Work Is Not Yet Done

[tartarusrussell]

Quote Originally Posted by Mamatas

Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Bantham I can not imagine the circumstances by which this volume found it's way into a public library. Perhaps you have a deviant librarian at work... MWINYD was reviewed by Publishers Weekly in 2002 (the Amazon page for the book has the review for anyone interested) and libraries use those reviews to make their orders. Indeed, Worldcat.org tells me that 88 different library systems hold at least one copy of the Mythos edition with the ISBN 978-0965943376. Libraries often have a fair amount of small press stuff. They like hardcovers because they last for decades, and they like well-reviewed material. Small presses love libraries too—bookstores buy books at some steep discounts whereas libraries often buy at a much higher price, sometimes even the cover price. They also don't return books, as bookstores often do when they go unsold for a few months. One hundred copies or so at $30 is a great bonus for Mythos or other publishers of similar size.

That's really quite impressive. Here in the UK twenty years ago it was possible to sell the best part of 100 copies of any new book into the library system through the library suppliers if you knew how. But then funding was slashed. Now it takes adventurous librarians, or those with specialist collections, to place individual orders.

Either the US library system is better financed, or MWINYD is more popular than I realised!

	MWINYD My Work Is Not Yet Done

[starrysothoth]

Ideally, I would love to see the day when small presses could successfully sell or donate a couple copies of rare books to their favorite library. Though let me say that I fully sympathize with the economic cost of doing so. I understand the presses might not be able to donate at the current time because of the drain on their business it might cause.

Still, the idea is a happy one. It would at least allow newcomers access to rare authors/stories long after the books have gone out of print. If the books are available for checkout or Inter-Library Loan, all the better.

Unfortunately, it would be a tempting target for book thieves obsessed with this stuff for pleasure or profit. I don't know what the answer to that problem would be, other than blacklisting certain Ex Libris copies from online selling.

[Mamatas]

Quote Originally Posted by tartarusrussell

Either the US library system is better financed, or MWINYD is more popular than I realised!

In the US, library systems are municipally based. The downside is that many areas are underserviced. The upside is that there are thousands of systems out there, and getting a good review in one of the four major trade journals (Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, or Kirkus, plus LJ has a secondary) School Library Journal) means that a couple dozen systems at least will order at least one copy.