ASK many travellers what books are found in hotels, and they will mutter feverishly about Gideons Bibles, Readers’ Digest hardbacks and dog-eared Catherine Cookson novels. The very idea of a hotel library is enough to send them running to their Kindles for some sort of digital experience, even though a couple of well-filled shelves can provide a welcome surprise and a decent source of local insight.
This is why I’m rather taken with the work of a company called the Ultimate Library, which chooses and supplies books on behalf of its hotel clients for use in library, lounge and individual rooms. The company was started by Philip Blackwell in 2007 after a few too many stays in book-impoverished lodgings. A former CEO of his family’s chain of bookshops he had the knowledge and the contacts to launch such a business, and in the years since he has sold his library vision to the likes of Aman Resorts, Swire Hotels and the Savoy.
Michael Sauers is the Director of Logan Library in Logan, UT. Prior to this he was one of the founding staff and Technology Manager for Do Space in Omaha, NE. After earning his MLS in 1995 from the University at Albany's School of Information Science and Policy Michael spent his first 20 years as a librarian training other librarians in technology along with time as a public library trustee, a bookstore manager for a library friends group, a reference librarian, a technology consultant, and a bookseller. He has written dozens of articles for various journals and magazines and has published 14 books ranging from library technology, blogging, Web design, and an index to a popular horror magazine. In his spare time, he blogs at TravelinLibrarian.info, runs The Collector's Guide to Dean Koontz website at CollectingKoontz.com, takes many, many photos, and typically reads more than 100 books a year.
Unless otherwise stated, all opinions are my own and are not to be considered those of the City of Logan, UT.
View all posts by Michael Sauers
ASK many travellers what books are found in hotels, and they will mutter feverishly about Gideons Bibles, Readers’ Digest hardbacks and dog-eared Catherine Cookson novels. The very idea of a hotel library is enough to send them running to their Kindles for some sort of digital experience, even though a couple of well-filled shelves can provide a welcome surprise and a decent source of local insight.
