The deadline for entering the American Photography 42 juried competition is Feb. 6. All photographers, creative professionals, publishers, agencies, representatives, students and teachers of photography of any nationality living, working or studying in the Americas (U.S. South, Central America, Mexico, Caribbean and Canada) with work created or published anywhere in the world for any purpose are eligible. Also eligible are international photographers living abroad who have American/South American/Canadian/Mexican citizenship, or representation, and/or those who have been published or exhibited in the Americas in print, online or shown in a gallery.

   With windchills that feel like 5F or less coming to NYC this weekend, it’s a good time to cozy in with a book. Better still, take a look at your bookcases and see if you’d like to make them look, well, more used. With that in mind—and as a prelude of more to come—today we revisit what Riccardo Vecchio thinks about his library, and others he’s experienced along the way. Peggy Roalf: Do you remember the first art book you ever purchased? Why did it...