Bibliophile Celebrates its 300th Catalogue

March 23, 2012 - PRLog -- At a time when many predict the death of the physical book and the bookshop and even the public library is under constant threat of closure, Bibliophile Books continues to prosper and go about its business as the UK booklover’s greatest secret. In 2011 it was granted a Royal Warrant by the Duke of Edinburgh in recognition of quality, service, excellence and selling to the palace for some 20 years.
This year on March 25th, some 34 years after it published its first catalogue it will achieve a significant milestone and publish its 300th catalogue.
(http://www.bibliophilebooks.com/epages/Bibliophile.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Bibliophile/Categories/News__Views/300th_Catalogue_in_preparation)

Bibliophile distributes over half a million catalogues a year to its tens of thousands of members all over the UK and as far away as New Zealand. The newspaper style catalogue is printed on environmentally sourced 100% recycled paper.

Cheap and cheerful, the founders chose a newsprint tabloid format, pithy quotes humorous anecdotes and succinct in house book reviews to tempt book addicts worldwide to sample the best selection culled from publisher's backlists, remainder dealers plus overstocks from a variety of sources.

Each 40 page catalogue contains some 300 brand new books and over 1,000 titles. Each is book review is written in house, reflects the unique Bibliophile style and is aimed at reflecting why Bibliophile selected each book and is selling it. The books cover some 30 subject categories and were published in the UK, US and Canada and include war, history, biographies, art, crime, erotica, Britain, crafts, literature, fiction, children’s, CDs etc.

From its 300 catalogues Bibliophile has built a unique digital archive of over 60,000 book reviews. The vast majority of titles are no longer in-print and the Bibliophile review may be now the only independent blurb available.   3,500 reviews are less than one year old. Certain titles are rare and collectable and will never be printed again like the magnificent Splendours of Iran (slipcased) published £350 at £200 and JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PORTFOLIO $1400 now £275 containing 48 loose leaf prints and book in giant slipcase. Most titles including well-received biographies are under a fiver, making reading an affordable adventure and a lifeline service to the disabled and housebound and those who miss browsing in their local bookshop which may have closed down in recent years.
Bibliophile is very conscious of the environment and minimise waste by ensuring that the fewest possible catalogues are printed the mailing list is routinely pruned and controlled to ensure non-buyers, deceased and gone away addresses are not mailed. These are then despatched on a 4-7 day service in bulk, never priority as this has an inherent additional environmental impact.

Today Bibliophile is not just a catalogue but has just launched its second generation website, has an active presence on Facebook, Twitter, has created some 200 YouTube video book reviews which have attracted over 60,000 hits and they have even published Kindle ebooks.  
Over 75000 hits on bibliophilebooks YouTube channel include this book review of photographer Helmut Newton's massive book, Sumo. (http://youtu.be/XtdcL60qGxQ)



Bibliophile History
Together with Australian journalist Max Harris, Bill Smith, a former editor of Books & Bookmen and owner of an eponymously named chain of bargain bookshops "Booksmith", created the Bibliophile publication and mail order book club in 1978. Later the business was partnered by Fred Bass “the New York Bookseller” and owner of the famous Strand Bookstore which in May 2007 celebrated its 80th year.

In 1992, Annie Quigley was given the opportunity to buy the business by her mentor Bill Smith when he was dying. In July 1992 she bought out his widow and Fred Bass and became sole proprietor. Since then, it has become a Limited Company and has grown to over four times the size.

Contact
Annie Quigley
Director
Bibliophile Ltd.,
Unit 5 Datapoint
South Crescent
London E16 4TL

By Appointment
to H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh
Booksellers
Bibliophile Ltd
London

website (www.bibliophilebooks.com)

Blog (www.AnniesBookReviewsforBibliophiles.blogspot.com)
Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/AnnieBookReview)
YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/bibliophilebooks)

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Bibliophile Books, an out-of-print specialist. The company stocks about 3,500 titles.
30 year old postal /internet business dealing in remaindered books 50%-90% off cover price. Flat rate of just £3.50 per order p&p (UK) regardless of size of order