THE EXPIRED SERIES



THE SIREN CALL OF CHILDHOOD NOSTALGIA


"Expired" explores the time worn evidence of a disappearing communal experience found only in ex-library books. The first rite of passage upon learning how to write one’s name was to inscribe it on a library check-out card promising the book’s safe journey and return. While reading the list of names that had come before I cradled becoming a part of the book’s history. The communal experience exposed curly-Q handwritten names and room assignments revealing repeat customers who had devoured the book past the due date. Now a declaration that’s dissolving faster than we witness as historic cards are removed permanently and barcodes take their place. 


THE COMPLETE EXPIRED COLLECTIONS


THE Spines

THE EDGES

THE BLANKS

THE close ups


OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE MUCH?


After culling through thousands of books each one was chosen for specific characteristics that best display the love poured into library books over their years on the stacks. Currently over 180 ex-library books have been individually photographed. Each was assessed, lovingly documented and alphabetically archived. The painstaking process was crafted with custom Sticky Notes within a complex library system of my own so that no exquisite detail was missed.

Expired library check-out cards from the fine art series by photographer kerry mansfield