Among the things authors are not responsible for ...

[kinzel]

So, you hard-core hardback book readers ...

Can you tell me if *all* Baen hardcovers are the same width and height? If so is this a size you see in hardbacks from Tor or Daw or .... anyone else?

Odd question, you say? Well, gee, but see, the newest thing we, as authors, have been accused of is of being responsible for the fact that Duainfey ... and I assume Longeye as well, will not fit in a custom bookcase designed to house Lee & Miller books from Meisha Merlin.

And you know, just as we can't order a publisher to publish a book only in trade paper (of a certain size), or only in mass market, or first in hardback and then in three ring binders; we don't control the form factor of the style of book a publisher goes for.

Right -- see Duainfey is (according to Amazon, who/which may know) 9 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches ... while a sample from the Meisha Merlin years, say Balance of Trade, they tell us is 8.5 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches. No, wait, the advertent reader may want to get a ruler out -- because my copy of Duainfey seems to measure 9.5 X 6.5 X ... hey wait, that's a full inch taller! Not only that, but Stars, the anthology, runs larger than Meisha Merlin books but not as tall as Duainfey ... and Amazon's ruler-crew says it is ...9.2 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches ....

And you know what? It is NOT OUR FAULT (as authors )that book sizes are not standard. But really, how many hardcover sizes are there on your shelves, anyway? Are all Baen books the same size? Does Baen use this form factor to make their books stand tall?

Comments

[jelazakazone.livejournal.com]

One has to have stairs in order to use this particular system:)

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

Yup! And the last place I had that had stairs, I built my mmpb shelves all along the outer side of the stairs (right angle turn in the middle of the stairs). Very nice shelves, chinese puzzle to install.

So I still didn't have shelf storage.

[jelazakazone.livejournal.com]

Sounds like an interesting system. Did you have to uninstall it when you left?

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

Yes, I removed it, but there was a temptation to Abandon in Place.

[keristor.livejournal.com]

To use the MLMRAS (Multi-Level) system, yes *g*. However, MRAS filing systems (often called "heap storage") can be used virtually anywhere there is a reasonably flat and level surface. Especially that nice big flat thing[1] they build into most houses, the parts which don't have furniture on them are ideal for MRAS filing (and most of the furniture can be used for it as well)...

[1] Well, one of them. The other one is inconveniently placed overhead and things placed on it fall off. I need an working antigravity system to be able to use the ceiling as storage instead of wasting all that space up there...

[qinshihuangdi.livejournal.com]

If it really bothers you that much, you do not need to violate physics.

Step 0: Make sure the bulding you are modifying is structurally capable of supporting the weight of books that it will. Messing up this step might kill people, or worse, damage your book collection. :)

Step 1: Remove old ceiling. You need to do this to get access to the support members that hold up the floor above or the roof. Make sure that you haven't messed up step 0, and made some assumptions that will get you killed. It would be better to get an engineer competent in this area to do so if you are not one yourself.

Step 2: Attach mounting brackets to support members. These will hold up your replacement ceiling and whatever in the way of netting and straps that attach directly.

Step 3: Put in replacement ceiling. Most regular ceilings ceiling will not support the weight of many books, and would be damaged if books are forced into them. I am thinking this should be a metal grate.

Step 4: Attach whatever straps and netting that are needed to hold up the books. These should be anchored to the new ceiling or the original supports. (Attaching to the original supports is why I am thinking grate.)

Step 5: Load with books.

Step 6: Try not to die.