By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson
JERUSALEM — On a tour of the new building of Israel’s National Library a few weeks ago I learned that it is mandatory for at least one copy of every new book published to be deposited in the Library. The printed form regarding the depositing of the book or books bears the following text (originally in Hebrew, English translation by me) with space left for the titles of the book or books and the name of the author:
‘We are happy to confirm that the collections of the National Library have received the publications listed below:
‘The publications received by the Library are recorded in the catalogue of the National Library and the consolidated catalogue of libraries in Israel, and their copies are preserved for future generations. We thank you for submitting the copies and for your contribution to building the collection and preserving our culture. We hope that in the future you will also provide us with copies of your new publications when they appear.
‘You will soon receive confirmation by email confirming receipt of the copies.
‘With gratitude and respect,’
The Absorption and Ordering Team of the National Library.’
It all seemed to be designed to impress upon the provider of the books, in this case the author, i.e., myself, the weighty significance of having one’s books included in the Library’s collection and catalogue. So, I decided to do my best to comply with this demand, which of course I should have done at the time my books were published, but omitted to do so, whether out of ignorance, indolence or sloppiness.
My first task was to locate and collect a copy of each of my books. In my basement stands the metal filing cabinet that was a fixture of the home in which I grew up in London and held various documents belonging to my late father. At some point, after it had been emptied of its contents, I loaded my books into its capacious drawers, so it wasn’t with too much difficulty that I extracted one copy of each book.
Much to my surprise, I found that I had written a total of eight books. Starting in 2014, with my first novel, The Balancing Game, I had embarked on a writing blitz, producing a book a year till 2021. There was no room on the form I had been given by the Library for all my books, so I prepared a printed list. I loaded the books into one of the small carry-on cases I take when travelling abroad, and waited for a morning when both Yigal and I would be free to go to the Library. The physical task of reaching the library with the little case was too much for me to contemplate alone and unaided.
The morning when both Yigal and I were free came last week. We drove to the Library and even managed to find a place nearby to park our car. On entering the Library we and our suitcase were searched, but eventually we were able to take the lift to the floor where one submits one’s books. We were not alone, as the desk was manned by three librarians, and all of them were busy. Eventually our turn came. We unloaded our books onto the counter. They looked lovely there, the covers all being based on my own watercolor paintings. Unfazed, the librarian handed me an empty form and told me to start filling it out. I began to embark on the task, expecting to have to make an effort to get my books into the annals of posterity. However, when the librarian saw my printed list with all the relevant details he relented and told us that we could leave.
So, at some point in the not-too-distant future, I hope, all my books can be found on the shelves and in the catalogue of Israel’s National Library. The list is appended herewith, and I think I am justified in feeling a sense of pride.
1) The Balancing Game: A Child Between Two Worlds, A Society Approaching War; Published by SPBRA, 2014.
2) Time Out of Joint: The Fate of a Family, published on Amazon, 2014.
3) Levi Koenig: A Contemporary King Lear, published on Amazon, 2015.
4) Chasing Dreams and Flies: A Tragicomedy of Life in France, published on Amazon, 2016.
5) All Quiet on the Midwestern Plains, published on Amazon, 2018.
6) A Ruffled Calm, published on Amazon, 2019.
7) Friends, Neighbours, Traitors, published on Amazon, 2020.
8) Rootless in Zion, published on Amazon, 2021.
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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson is an author and freelance writer. More about her books may be found on her website. She may be contacted via dorothea.shefer@sdjewishworld.com