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We launch the World Bookmark Day (WOBODA): 25th February 2017 will be the first celebration day                   

25/4/2016

4 Comments

 
Dear friends of bookmarks, dear IFOB members!

First of all, thank you very much for your comments and emails about the idea of launching a World Bookmark Day. After due and long consideration of the pros and the cons stated in your comments, I came to the conclusion that we should attempt this adventure. I’ll explain the reasons why tackling it seems to be more reasonable for us than just forgetting it.

The main pro for the idea is that a WOBODA is not only consistent with our mission - that is increasing the public awareness of bookmarks - but it is also an excellent means to support this goal. Actually, there is no doubt that a WOBODA would be a wonderful and valuable concept for us, if it would not entail any substantial disadvantages. The cons in your comments concentrated on one major problem: Is a WOBODA not a too big project for our young and small community? Are we able to afford the necessary time and work for such an enterprise without neglecting our current operations? These are serious concerns expressed by several members, indicating that there is a potential risk in this subject, and I am thankful for this feedback. 

On a closer look, it was obvious that the cons were associated in most cases with similar world commemorative days, particularly with The World Book Day (WBD). The WBD is indeed a huge project, designated by UNESCO and marked in over 100 countries all over the world. It goes without saying that we cannot handle such a giant project, not even approximately. Therefore, I can fully understand all the objections resulting from this scenario. With the distance of a few weeks, I was able to realise that on the other hand nobody forces us to start a gigantic project. We can start with a small project, small enough not to overstrain our resources.

A further question is if such a small project which we could afford momentarily will have any effect at all. I would say no, not immediately. But it can grow if we are patient. It will grow in step with us, and possibly with a little help from our friends, i.e. groups from outside which might fancy the project and support us. I don’t see any obstacles in starting the WOBODA as a small campaign, just as big as we are ready to invest in it. Of course, as with all new creations we bring into the world we cannot overlook the complete development of this child to the end. It will go its own way and possibly surprise us now and then. Let us get it going.

Let's say a few words about the abbreviation WOBODA which might sound unusual or even funny in your ears. The shortest word for the World Bookmark Day would be WBKD, however it is too similar to WBD with the risk of mixing them up. WBKMD looks a tiny bit more different, however, it is not a catchy one easy to memorise. After some discussion with my editor colleague Laine Farley, we agreed on WOBODA and hope you'll like it.  

I have been thinking a while about an appropriate date for the WOBODA. It should be placed in a part of the year where people are not under stress like around Christmas in many countries, and also not on the move as they are in holiday seasons. This would allow everyone to concentrate better on reading and activities associated with the day. The period between the new year and the start of spring seems to be a quiet and suitable season, at least here in Europe where the days are still short and dark and bad weather is around the next corner: ideal conditions to deal with books and bookmarks. Consulting the List of Commemorative Days on Wikipedia showed that a few days in the last week of February were not occupied with other celebration events. Finally, the selection fell on the 25th of February, which is a Saturday in 2017, the date of the very first celebration of the WOBODA.             

What do we need for the start? It is of course not enough just to declare a certain day to be World Bookmark Day, it must also be brought to the attention of other people to have an effect. The best way to do that is certainly, if people would talk about it. Sure, I can go and ask other websites and blogs to report about it; however, they are likely to do it if we also offer a nice story and pictures. Obviously, it is our task to create a story about the World Bookmark Day, and that story should better be a compelling one in order to motivate others to adopt and talk about it.

I had not to ponder long about a nice story to promote the WOBODA. We know since the appearance of the IFOB publication No. 1, that bookmarks are as old as the codex form of books we use today, around 2000 years. This new and astonishing fact which the IFOB has brought to light very recently is still unknown for the majority of the public. It should not be difficult to knit an interesting story around this information. The story could look like as follows:       
25 February 2017 - WORLD BOOKMARK DAY (WOBODA)
We celebrate the readers' little helper and the ever faithful companion of the books for 2000 years
Bookmarks might have not received much attention yet. They even might have been ignored widely so far. But we believe that there is a different story in which this quiet companion will no longer wait passively to be noticed. The bookmarks will receive attention and approval they deserve with a little help from their friends. Friends who love to use bookmarks while reading, friends who love to collect bookmarks, illustrate and produce bookmarks, who write blogs, articles, and books on bookmarks, friends who take care of them in libraries and museums, and some other unknown friends. Join us in our activities if you think you are a friend of bookmarks. The WOBODA is an excellent occasion to help bookmarks get the recognition they deserve. 
​We will offer some activities for people to join us in association with the day and in the run-up phase. Do you have ideas about activities for the WOBODA? Please do write your comments, they are welcome! 

Please check out also our new page WOBODA where all informations and activities associated with the World Bookmark Day can be seen.

​Asim Maner
4 Comments
Laine Farley
25/4/2016 14:36:07

I hope we can turn any "official" WOBODA bookmarks into world travelers. We could print some copies and distribute them randomly--in donated books, left at coffee shops and libraries (including inside random books), etc. Could we provide a printable text saying to check in at our web site if the bookmark is found? People could say where they found the bookmark, where they are from, what they like about bookmarks, etc.

Reply
Asim Maner
26/4/2016 01:44:56

Laine, this is an excellent idea! We should bring it to life, and I think we'll have a lot of fun with it.

Reply
Clemens Posten link
29/5/2016 21:45:56

Indeed i like this idea. In our daily buisiness our "hobby" sometimes comes too short, so it is a good trigger to show some activity and especially to get into contact with other collectors, we do not know yet.

Thanks to all and especially to Asim for the already running activities. To leave bookmarks as virtual messengers in books is fantastic. It reminds me of the balloons with attached address cards sent out at opoortunities like children birthdays or weddings.

May be, we can organize an international swap event during that day in parallel to the raffle. Everybody can offer a small package on the IFOB website and gets an option for the package of somebody else. I am not sure how that works technically speaking, but could be an option for members having not access to own websites or have no opprotunity to go to swap days in his country.

Reply
Asim Maner
30/5/2016 03:51:44

Hey Clemens, thank you very much indeed for this very constructive comment! I fully agree with you that we should not stew in our own juice all the time and should seek the contact with other bookmark friends who might bring in new ideas and views.

The messenger bookmark "Wobo" is an idea of Laine actually, and I guess it will please us more and more in the future.

Your idea of organising a swap on the occasion of the World Bookmark Day is fantastic, and I'll come up with a solution to realise it soon.

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  • Home
    • News from 2019
  • About
    • Member News
    • Contact
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    • Raffle
  • Blog
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  • WOBODA
    • WOBODA 2024
    • WOBODA 2023 >
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        • WOBODA 2020
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          • WOBODA 2018
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          • Wobo on World Tour 2016
  • Gallery
    • Gallery Page 3 - New Year's
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    • Gallery Page 9 - Bookmarks Speak
  • Library
    • Reading Room
    • Book Reviews
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    • IFOB Publications >
      • Earliest History of Bookmarks
      • Diamond Registration Marks on British Bookmarks
      • World Literature Classics
      • Holiday Haunts Bookmarks of the Great Western Railway
      • Reprints of the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games Bookmarks
      • Fascinating Bookmarks
      • Traditional Costumes of Countries - A bookmark Series by Rowohlt Verlag
      • Charting the Course of Celluloid Bookmarks
    • On Marking Books Redux >
      • Books and Cards Worth Giving
  • Bibliographies
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  • Bookmark Producers