Most of us have collected something in our lives. It may be stamps, coins, baseball cards, comic books, or antiques. In amassing a collection, you learn how to safeguard your investment by purchasing the highest quality items available. For several years, Adair Countians have been collecting Janice Holt Giles' books. This article will deal with how you can safeguard the value of your Janice Holt Giles collection.

Many of Ms. Giles' books are readily available in book club editions. Most book collectors have bought a book club edition of Johnny Osage, Hanna Fowler or one of the other more common titles. This is fine because you have copy of that volume. It is yours to read at your leisure. However, if you want to collect a set of Janice Holt Giles books, you should try to upgrade your books. For example, if you get a chance to buy a reasonably priced first edition of Voyage to Sante Fe, you should purchase it.

Reputable book dealers will tell you that a book club edition is little better than a reading copy. It is seldom that a book club edition increases in value. Janice Holt Giles books in book club edition have little chance of increasing in value because of the abundance of them. However, Ms. Giles first edition books will continue to be prized as long as there are people interested in Janice Holt Giles.

Do not let anyone tell you that first editions are not available. In the past year, this author has purchased two copies of The Kentuckians, three copies of The Believers, two copies of Hanna Fowler, two copies of Voyage to Santa Fe, one copy of Tara's Healing, and a rare review copy of Savanna. All these volumes were reasonably priced and in great condition.

Four years ago, a gentleman in Adair County wanted to collect two sets of Janice Holt Giles books for his daughters. At first, he bought common book club editions as well as the rarer titles. Then he began to replace the book club editions with first editions. Now he has two sets of first edition Janice Holt Giles books that would be the envy of any university library.

Often a person gets a chance to purchase and ex-library copy of Ms. Giles' rarer books. These books are to be bought at reasonable prices. Book dealers and intelligent collectors take a very dim view of ex-library books.

They consider them even lower than book club editions. They are correct; however, copies of The Plum Thicket and Run Me a River are rare in any condition.

An ex-library copy would be better than no book at all. As with the book club editions, you can upgrade when the opportunity arises.

Perhaps you want to specialize your Janice Holt Giles collection by obtaining all autographed books. Such copies will be difficult to obtain but there are autographed books out there. Recently, a Kentucky book dealer advertised an autographed first edition of The Kentuckians for $100.

No other author has written as extensively about Adair County as Janice Holt Giles. When you collect a set of her books you are saving them for future generations. Therefore you should strive to collect the best set you possibly can.

None of us can predict the popularity of Janice Holt Giles in the next 50 years, but when future generations see a nice collection of her books, they will know someone cared.

If you want to know more about Janice Holt Giles books, I'd love to talk with you. My address is David Pyles, 119 Tutt Street, Apt A, Columbia, KY 42728. My phone is 502-384-6264.