Over the last year, the main floor at the Central Library has undergone renovations. Among other changes to the Arts Department, our Special Collection was released from locked cabinets and installed on open shelving in an alcove with comfortable armchairs and a coffee table. The Special Collection books are large and lovely and often so heavy that no one wants to haul them home. Hence the cozy set up.

Sometimes coffee table books lack respect, accused of being long on gloss and short on substance. However, if a picture is worth a thousand words, there is a lot to be gleaned even from decorative page turners with little text. When I explored the idea online, I found consensus that a coffee table book should be interesting enough to stimulate conversation with guests who browse it.

At home, the coffee table is an intimate little space that often includes favourite objects. Pottery Barn offers a demo about organizing an attractive tablescape. House & Home will help you choose the table.

I found lists of favourite books on sites like Style at Home and Van Houte coffee (how appropriate). In fact, our department alone holds so many beautiful and intriguing books that creating a list of favourites would be daunting.

Over the next few blogs my colleagues and I are sharing a few favourites. We hope you will check them out for awhile to your own coffee table world.

When you visit us next, make some time to peruse the tomes that are too large to carry. Or bring a cart or car and take a few home.

Jane