I'm still fretting about that poll about book markers. I use so many of those things, I was unable to pick one. Several good and bad ideas were not even on the list. For example, I have seen a wad of chewing gum used as a marker. Also chewing gum wrappers, and naturally a nice dry, nonsticky stick of gum. My mother, a smoker, often used a matchstick. I knew a kid in college who preferred a dollar bill. He must have been on the GI bill. I never did that because on those rare occasions when I had a dollar it went for food or some other luxury like that.

I once read an article by a retired librarian who told about all the things that were found in returned library books. She mentioned money, tree leaves, cigarette butts, gum wrappers, handkerchiefs, bottle caps, draft cards, credit cards, business cards (including the business card of a belly dancer), a parking ticket, wire, a chop stick, popcicle sticks, string, leather, keys, and at least one razor blade.

She also told about some more or less personal messages such as love letters and poems. Some of it may have been used as a book mark. But she seemed to think that people sometimes used books as storage space.

I wish I could remember more of it, but I read it about a year ago. I just read back through this message and it looks like I remembered more than I thought.
Howard