What do you have in your collection?

     At the beginning of March, we loaded up our two lighted glass cases in the foyer of the main library with collections provided by our library staff.  It's become so interesting to the public that we've decided to leave it up a little longer.
     It's really amazing what people like to collect, and our group here at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library is no different than most people.  We collect what we love.
     If you haven't had a chance to stop by and take a look at these collections, you're missing some interesting pieces of history...history as collected by the library staff.
     The salt and pepper shakers collected by Johnnie come from all over the east coast...from New York to Florida and North Carolina in between.  She's collected bears, Santas, seashells, bunnies, kittens, outhouses, pots and pans, ducks, and small milk bottles, just to name a few.
     Monique has an elegant bent to her collection.  She collects gloves and allowed us to place just a few in the case, such as her red kid gloves, along with knitted gloves of white, grey, pink, black, and fushia.  She collects scarves also and those might be in our next show.
     If you like music boxes, you should see the ones Irene brought for "show and tell."  She has one shaped like a birdhouse, birds, flowers and all.  Another is a fox sitting in an old tree stump with a little fox on the ground below.  And she has a bunny, as well as sunflowers and butterflies.  Plus...take a look at part of her collection of cameos made into necklaces and earrings.
     Keva's unique collection is about ticket stubs.  She has them from not only movies and ballgames, but from the Sam Shortline, the Universoul Circus, and the Holy Land Experience, as well as many others.
     Those interesting pieces of history include the matchbox collection from Aileen.  Some are small, decorated boxes showing flowers and birds, as well as a dragon, a lady's head, a fox and an owl.  Others are larger and made from cast iron, brass, tin, porcelain, and steel. 
     One of the cutest collections is Sheila's panda bears.  Those little black and white bears that everyone loves so much.  They are procelain and standing or sitting in various poses.
     And, of course, we have several of Melody's favorite frogs.  She has a pretty good size collection of frogs, since everyone seems to add to her collection during birthdays and Christmas.
     Ann's collection of dolls and tiny tea sets are well known to the library staff.  She has so many that we could place only a few choice ones in the lighted case.  But most little girls will love to see both dolls and tea sets.
     Jinx is a collector of sea shells.  She has a rather large collection also, so only a few are in the case, but they are truly things of beauty.
     There's also a small portion of Norma's collection of M&M characters and only one of her fabulous owl collection.  Someday we're going to have nothing but Norma's owl collection.
     And we can't forget Elois's gourd collection.  Once again, she has a large collection also, so only a small part of her gourds are in the case.
     I've discovered most people have a collection of some type.  Whether it's salt and pepper shakers, frogs, or tea sets, we all usually have something. 
     Oh, I forgot, a good many of us have a large collection of books also.  I suppose I could put myself in that category.  But not as large as the collection we have here at the library.  And we have not only new books, but some of the older books that other libraries get rid of.  Those are the interesting ones to check out.
     So.  Have you thought about it?  What do you have in your collection?  Matchbook covers, necklaces, keychains, shot glasses?  Bet you have something.