Great Gift Ideas for Book Lovers

If you've got a book lover on your Christmas list, here are a bunch of great gifts to make them light up when they see what is in their box. These are reasonably priced, but extremely unique items that are just about guaranteed to make a book lover's day even brighter.

Athenaeum Bookends - Price: $48 per set.

Where to Get Them - Levenger.com

The Athenaeum Library in Boston is considered to be the best membership library in America, and one of the oldest. In 1878, they patented a bookend design that endures to this day. Thanks to Levenger, you can surprise your book loving friends with this incredible reproduction. The bookends are black in color and feature an amazing reproduction of the "gilded age" artwork that graced the originals. The design is functional, without being fussy, and they weigh a solid 1 ¼ pound each. They are made of steel, encased inside durable black powder coated enamel, ensuring that your gift will stand up to the test of time, just like the Athenaeum Library has. What's even better? A portion of the sale will benefit the Athenaeum, so that future generations of book lovers can inherit part of the history of this venerable American institution.

Boston Public Library Tote - Price: $48 per bag

Where to Get It - Levenger.com

We'll stay in Boston for our next gift for book lovers. Most book lovers have a common problem - too many books and not enough room to carry them all. Enter this wonderful canvas bag from Levenger.com. It is an exact reproduction of the heavy-duty canvas bags that the Boston Public Library still uses to move books. With a hundred-year history and a multitude of uses, these bags are built to withstand just about anything you can throw in them. In fact, you can pack around 27 pounds of books, or anything else, and still enjoy a balanced load, thanks to the handles that have been reinforced with sturdy rivets. Each bag includes a quote on the inside that is borrowed right from the library itself which reads: "The Commonwealth requires the education of the people as the safeguard of order and liberty." Once again, you can feel good about your gift, knowing that a portion of the sale will go to benefit Boston's Public Library, where books are still "Free to All."

Butler Bed Tray - Price: $148

Where to Get It - Levenger.com

If you've ever tried to read in bed, you know it can be an exercise in futility, neck cramps and a messy bed. This new "workstation" for books takes care of all that, and a little more, and it even looks good doing it. The bed tray features twelve different angles to ensure that just about everyone can find a comfortable position in which to read. There's a lip to make sure the book won't slip, and there's even a spot to hold pens or highlighters, for those who can't live without annotating. A deep well on one side gives you plenty of room for newspapers, while the other side features a more shallow well for books or papers. Unlike many bed tray's, this one isn't too heavy, weighing in at a mere 6 ½ pounds. However, that doesn't mean they skimped on materials. The sides are made of high quality woven rattan, while the tray itself is made out of durable cherry wood. In fact, once you're done reading, you can fold down the cherry top and enjoy a nice breakfast in bed while reading your paper. Life doesn't get much better than this.