Located downtown, on the corner of 8th Ave. and 10th St. S.W., Sigla Books is not your typical paperback exchange. Its owner, David Sidjak, offers an unvarnished selection of rare and obscure literature that caters to an eclectic audience of readers.
A cherished fixture in Calgary’s literary community, Sigla transcends the kitsch and commercialism found in mainstream bookstores and stands as a sanctuary for bibliophiles and casual readers alike.
“Any bookshop is good in my books, but I prefer one, of course, where I detect that the owner or manager is really interested in books, and is not just out to make money,” says Sidjak.
Upon entering Sigla, the warm musk of pre-loved books fills the air, as your gaze falls upon a selection of literature, skillfully curated by its owner. Just beyond the initial sanctum of the storefront is where you will find Sidjak.
Perhaps he’s engaged in a thoughtful discussion with one of his clients while delicately arranging the shelves of his extensive collection. Or at his counter, immersed in the study of an aged manuscript. Whatever the encounter, you’ll know right away that Sidjak has a genuine interest in books.
Sidjak’s demeanor exudes an air of quiet dignity, reserve and perhaps a bit of seriousness as he explains the origins of his shop’s name.
“It’s just an abbreviation. The initial letter of successive words, especially in early books and going back to manuscripts, such as medieval and Renaissance literature. The scholar, the author, would have a list of sigla at the beginning of the book. A little license to indulge in my interest in words and language,” he quips.
Sidjak’s journey into the world of paperback exchange began in the early ’90s while working at Book Shoppe, located on 16th Ave. in Northwest Calgary. Book Shoppe was founded by Lisa Betcher, a German immigrant who had survived the bombing of Dresden. It was during this time Sidjak met his mentor, who he fondly refers to as “the late, great Tom Williams.”
“He asked me if I’d like to work in a ‘serious bookstore,'” recalls Sidjak when Williams offered him a job. “And I was kind of sad to leave Lisa behind, but she understood.”
A very influential figure in shaping Sidjak’s understanding of the literary world, some Calgarians might remember Williams as the owner and operator of his namesake —Tom Williams Books, located west of the Stampede Grounds on 17th Ave. S.W..
“He really knew his books,” says Sidjak of Williams. “He was sort of a bookseller-scholar, and I learned a lot from him,”
Over the decade, and throughout his career teaching English as a second language both here and abroad, Sidjak worked for Williams on three separate occasions. He remembers Williams fondly, describing him as an “old school bookman” with a “world class book exchange.”
Tragically, in 2013 Tom Williams Books, a basement-level shop, was wiped out by the Elbow River flood. The event was bittersweet for Sidjak as it served as the turning point in his career, ushering him towards opening his own bookshop.
It’s been nearly a decade since Sidjak became the owner of Sigla, which he describes as a “slow evolution of becoming more interested in books, and then interested in the book trade. You know, buying and selling books.”
As for his business motif of offering unusual literature, Sidjak explains that he likes “books that are rare, or at least obscure, without being necessarily valuable.”
“There’s not much supply and there’s not much demand. Partly because nobody knows of it, that’s what’s so fascinating!”
“It’s the old story about the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know, and the more you want to know.”
David Sidjak
“He’s altruistic in a way,” says Sampson, who believes Sigla is meant to inspire those who share Sidjak’s appreciation for art and literature.
Sidjak’s appreciation for books extends beyond rarity, he also values their inherent qualities.
“There’s definitely intrinsic value in the book arts — the binding, the typography, the paper, and the associations with publishing houses,” says Sidjak, adding that his love for books is something serious and ever evolving.
“Remember that serious book love, bibliomania, bibliophile, is something that matures and evolves over time.”
That sentiment that rings true not only for Sidjak but for those close to him, such as George Murphey, who first met Sidjak during a visit to Tom Williams Books. Murphey recalls that the otherwise reserved Williams was quite fond of Sidjak, as they shared a genuine interest in books and Sidjak was the sole employee there.
Throughout their friendship, Murphey has learned a lot from Sidjak on how to spot a book with great provenance. “It’s because of him,” says Murphey. “That’s the reason why I have close to 3,000 books!”
One of the rarest books in Murphey’s collection is the 11th edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, which Murphey acquired after the passing of Tom Williams in March of 2021. It was then that he and Sidjak were granted access to Williams’s private library, and it was there he found the Britannica.
According to Murphey, “If you have a 1911 Cambridge University Press Encyclopedia Britannica, the full set, you’ve got a good set. You’ve got a rare set,” he notes of the leather bound book, that boasts of a mythic reputation among serious collectors.
“It’s the old story about the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know, and the more you want to know,” says Sidjak, whose love for books remains alive and well. Because for him, and many others, Sigla Books encapsulates the perpetual allure of the written word.