close-up of an edge of a book with a light stain on a plain background
Light Stain, "The Final Revival of Opal & Nev"
Digital color print on cotton paper
10 x 6.18 inches
2023

About the Library Books series

I have always preferred used books to new copies, but the physicality of library books took on a special significance during quarantine. I felt comforted when I noticed fingerprints, creases, and other evidence that another person touched our shared book.

While reading, I often found myself taking side trips from the story presented in the novel, imagining narratives about former readers. Was a set of red fingerprints made with juice from fresh strawberries? Did someone throw this book in frustration?

I still develop attachments to specific copies of library books and by making this series of photographs I can hold on to small mementos that record identifiable details.