Having Second Thoughts About Using Books for Artwork

After looking at the books I bought to use for art, I am having trouble doing it.

I was looking at a guidebook to US coins which is a value guide. It is from 1987 so it is out of date. However it is interesting to read and educational to boot (if you ignore the values). So I was thinking perhaps we should keep this around the house for an educational thing for our homeschooling. I paid $1 for it. Then I thought that maybe sometime I'd but a current one, new, to use for that purpose. I am conflicted. My intent was to cut out the coin images and use them in collages for ATCs and altered books.

I bought a quote book, an inspirational book about teachers. Some of this applies to me as a mother who homeschools her children. I also like the small square format and thought I'd make an altered book out of it, blocking over the quotes that I don't like or that only really apply to school teachers. Now I am having second thoughts.

I bought a really cool book from 1949 for $1. It is in very good condition and is a hardback in a small format, about 5x7 inches. It is called "The Winter Book of Switzerland" by Dore Ogrizek and J.G. Rufenacht. It is loaded with color illustrations and maps. It is a travel guide. This is very high quality and written with wonderful English. This book makes the modern travel books seem like pieces of junk and also that they are boring and dumbed down. Now I don't want to use this book. I thought I'd either alter it or take it apart for the illustrations. To boot I see it online for a minimum price of $12.

The German dictionary from 1914 is really gorgeous and has such a great font. I am having second doubts about using it in art. However I ask myself why would I or someone else buy 4 sheets of a foreign language book on eBay or from online collage suppliers for $1 or $2 when here I have a book that I paid $2 for and I have hundreds of pages?? If I thought I could really sell some of these pages I would do it, and make some money!

I own a book on children and the American public schools, in paperback. I bought a hardback version yesterday to turn into an altered book. It is not a great book. So that is solid. No, wait. My copy is paperback and perhaps I should save the hardback for a reading copy instead of saving the paperback copy. But where would that leave me--it would leave me without a base for an altered book.

There is a library sale in my own town next weekend. This sale will be $1 for every hardback book for adults. I think I will go to that and pick out some books to use for altering. The sale that I attended yesterday was charging $2, $3 and up for the hardback books.