Collecting Nancy Drew: Crossword Cipher Library Editions & Variations

 

In honor of this past week's National Library Week I wanted to write a little bit about what I have dubbed for around 30 years now, the Crossword Cipher Library Editions. These Nancy Drew library bound editions from Bound to Stay Bound were around in the 80s to 90s. On the back cover was the image of Nancy Drew from book #44, The Clue in the Crossword Cipher, which is the reason for the nickname I have given them. On the back of yellow spine picture covers from around 1969 onward, they started using the Cipher image - in black and white - as well so by including that on the back of these library editions, they were mimicking the regular Nancy Drew picture cover editions. You can see the style in the image below.

This particular style was the type of library edition that I read in my school library as a kid, so they have a special place in my collection - so special that after donating mine to the Toledo Public Library when I donated The Jennifer Fisher Nancy Drew Collection in 2019, I have finished completing the set I donated and have started collecting another set for here at home in my secondary collection. 

I began noticing that some volumes have different color variations when bound - providing more opportunities for collectors to collect the various color variations too. How many variations do you have in your collections?

If you want to support the Jennifer Fisher Nancy Drew Collection at the Toledo Public Library, here's a link to donate at their website. You can also mail in a check to donate. To donate by check, send checks payable to Library Legacy Fund and write "Nancy Drew Fund" on the memo line and send to:

Library Legacy Foundation

The Nancy Drew Fund

325 N. Michigan St.

Toledo, OH 43604

I'll include pictures below of some of the color differences for some of the titles of these editions - you can click on images to see larger views. One image shows two Diaries, same color but height differences.