Bookshelf from Staples

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about bookshelves on publishing and book criticism blogs. People talk about how to deal with overflowing bookshelves, how to make amazing bookshelves that double as staircases, and the etiquette of displaying unread books. What I don't see a lot of is praise for particular shelves.

I have a wonderful shelf that I bought at the Staples in University Heights, Providence, in August 2002. It cost me $20, and I have used it ever since, over six years and in six or seven different residences. What distinguishes this extraordinary shelf from all the other cheap bookshelves? Two things, really:

1. Shelves made of real (albeit cheap) wood instead of particle board with a "wood effect" exterior. This means that the shelves don't sag from the weight of the books.

2. A collapsible structure (the shelves swing up and the sides swing in to cover them). When moving apartments, this factor separates a $20 bookshelf that is taken along from a $20 bookshelf that is trashed or given away. I don't understand why Ikea and the suppliers for Target and Wal-mart continue to design non-collapsible shelves that require assembly AND cost the same amount as my shelf from Staples.