The Secret Life of Books

Ever wondered what happens inside the bookstore when the last staff member turns the key for the night?

Thanks to Sean Ohlenkamp, an associate creative director at Lowe Roche Advertising in Toronto, and about 25 volunteers, we now know!

This two minute stop-motion animation was shot inside Type Books in Toronto.Sean Ohlenkamp says, "After doing a single bookcase, I had a pretty good idea what I was getting into, but I don't think any of my volunteers did. The way it worked was we got in there at 6 p.m. when the store closed, with my small army of volunteers, and we worked until 10 a.m. the next day, shelving, reshelving, moving, animating, dancing books all night long."

"This hit a nerve. It really struck a chord," says Type Books owner Joanne Saul. "The video is just so incredibly whimsical and magical. I think that is what Sean was getting at, that there is this secret life of book. People love books. That's the kind of outpouring that we're seeing."