Creating a personal (home) library

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miamivice
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Creating a personal (home) library

Post by miamivice »

There is some talk on the national news about "big name libraries". We can't talk about politics here so let's not talk about those.

However, I'm wondering if Bogleheads have spent any money on personal libraries. If so, can you describe them?

As some of you know, I'm well educated, and have about $5000 worth of college textbooks on a couple of bookcases. They are the Winners Only brand that Costco sold about 20 years ago. I bought them used off Craigslist probably 10 years ago. Absolutely love them. They are getting a little full now.

I have a few coil bound college papers in my library as well. I guess I'm a bit traditional where I still like paper prints of college paper, coil or comb bound. I have a few additional papers that I need to print and coil bind as well.

Any other personal libraries? What types of materials do you keep in your library?
Topic Author
miamivice
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by miamivice »

I'm sorry, I posted this in the wrong forum. It was meant to Personal Consumer Issues, not this forum.
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Kenkat
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by Kenkat »

miamivice wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:27 pm I'm sorry, I posted this in the wrong forum. It was meant to Personal Consumer Issues, not this forum.
You can use the ! symbol to report it and ask a moderator to move it.
almostretired1965
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by almostretired1965 »

I am a pack rat by nature and for 30 years kept all of my old textbooks and binders of notes from all of my classes from college and grad school. When we sold the house in NoVa to move south, I finally pulled the trigger and got rid of everything, except a half dozen or so, most of which were authored by my advisor. Very liberating.

I used to have a somewhat large library, say 10 bookshelves or so worth of stuff, half scifi/fantasy and half non-fiction mostly history, econ/finance. Got rid of most of it in the same move, now down to 1 shelf worth of stuff. Kept all my Jack Vance novels, however. Now I try to buy ebooks only.
Marseille07
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by Marseille07 »

I'm digitizing all the books I've had and paying to acquire them where possible. The project has been ongoing for a couple of years already, as I keep finding books I no longer have but had. Just today I dropped $600 on 33 or so books on Amazon, hopefully this is the final batch.

The only exceptions are tech books because it doesn't make sense to buy 10-year-old programming books that aren't relevant today.
TravelGeek
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by TravelGeek »

almostretired1965 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:20 pm Now I try to buy ebooks only.
Occasionally I buy ebooks. Sometimes I buy paper books (the reading experience is not the same). Most of the time I get books (e or paper) from the library. Dry .I berating and saves a ton of money.
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Sandtrap
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by Sandtrap »

miamivice wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:24 pm There is some talk on the national news about "big name libraries". We can't talk about politics here so let's not talk about those.

However, I'm wondering if Bogleheads have spent any money on personal libraries. If so, can you describe them?

As some of you know, I'm well educated, and have about $5000 worth of college textbooks on a couple of bookcases. They are the Winners Only brand that Costco sold about 20 years ago. I bought them used off Craigslist probably 10 years ago. Absolutely love them. They are getting a little full now.

I have a few coil bound college papers in my library as well. I guess I'm a bit traditional where I still like paper prints of college paper, coil or comb bound. I have a few additional papers that I need to print and coil bind as well.

Any other personal libraries? What types of materials do you keep in your library?
I am a "reader" and have always been a "book" person. . . rooms full of books and friends with the same. . .

over time. . . and many moving of places of dwelling. . . .the books came and went with all but the favorites and so forth remaining. . . about 50 full size packer bins. . . 30-50 pounds each. . .

Then. . one day. . . I realized that everything in the books was in my head. . .so that was it for the books. . .

Over time. . once again a book lover and accumulator. . . bookshelves became organized and filled. . .

then, , I realized, much like a full investment finance "bogle wiki" expanded library of books, that everything was in my head and internalized to something far greater than the sum of the parts. . . as of course happens in the mind. . .

so, I "gifted" all the books. . only a few remain. . . there's no sense. . . it's all in my mind. . and the paper pages, if in the bookshelves, aren't read by others. ., nor shared. . except for the things that eat paper. . .

a story of one person. . and books. . . which first starts with a mountain of books under the bed as a kid, reading late in the night with a flashlight. . .

j :D
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Invest4lt
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by Invest4lt »

Like others have mentioned, I've gone in the opposite direction. I discovered that most college text books are not worth much, if anything. Higher Ed wants the latest edition, and these days, the editions are becoming increasingly ebooks.

Instead of thinking about my library, which did look nice, I decided to think of what would happen at my demise. Especially the burden of disposing the books. So, I packed them up and donated most of them. I haven't regretted the decision in the least. I decided that I would re-purchase any book that I wanted to re-read. And, guess what? I haven't made any re-purchases of books I donated. YMMV.
"People sometimes fail to live because they are always preparing to live." - Alan Watts
vxdx
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by vxdx »

miamivice wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:24 pm There is some talk on the national news about "big name libraries". We can't talk about politics here so let's not talk about those.
I’m extremely confused by what “big name library” could mean and how a library could be controversial.

Do you mean you loan out your books or just a personal collection of books? I’ve kept some favorite books and college textbooks because I remember reading my dad’s college textbooks when I was a kid. Generally though I don’t like storing physical books.
snowday2022
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by snowday2022 »

I have thousands in my house because I like having them and it’s good for my kids to always have books to read. Buy new ones all the time.

Mostly I have been hiring contractors to do custom built ins. Floor to ceiling. It is surprisingly inexpensive, and they look beautiful.
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miamivice
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by miamivice »

vxdx wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:06 pm
miamivice wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:24 pm There is some talk on the national news about "big name libraries". We can't talk about politics here so let's not talk about those.
I’m extremely confused by what “big name library” could mean and how a library could be controversial.

Do you mean you loan out your books or just a personal collection of books? I’ve kept some favorite books and college textbooks because I remember reading my dad’s college textbooks when I was a kid. Generally though I don’t like storing physical books.
I'll send you a pm to tomorrow.
MadHungarian
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by MadHungarian »

Hmm, well i've got several thousand books in my personal library, collected over the last 30 years. It's mostly a specialized technical reference library, focusing on certain areas of theology and Biblical studies, and ancient near east languages & culture, Greek & Roman classics, and also several other specialized areas like astronomy, architecture, Tolkien, CS Lewis, etc.
I finally got rid of most of my remaining old college textbooks and such, in my last big book purge last year (periodically i purge the most useless of the books and take the tax deduction). Notwithstanding the purges, my library continues to grow unfortunately. It's as bad as the local government.

My bookcases are nothing fancy, unfortunately. It'd be nice having nice bookcases, but i've always wanted to spend the money and pounds on the books themselves. And speaking of pounds, thousands of books do weigh quite a bit, and so the load-bearing capacity of your house becomes real important. Especially when your library is on the second floor like mine. I minimize the weight of the bookcases themselves and very carefully locate them.
Also, daylight (especially sunlight) is a major factor. Books don't like sunlight one little bit. They fade. Especially certain colors. So that also restricts my bookcase locations.

Btw, for my hardcovers (which is most of my books), I buy acid-free "Fold-On Archival" book jacket covers from Brodart, in 300' rolls in the most common sizes (8", 9", 10", 12") plus the individual sheets in some of the other intermediate & large sizes. The "Fold-On Archival" covers are nice because you don't tape anything to the actual book or dust jacket. So it's all properly reversible.

There's also the insurance issue, which i unfortunately haven't fully resolved. I need to look into this one of these days. Most of my books are not easily replaceable, though few of them are actually rare/collectible books. Hmm, insurance riders can get a bit pricey, and my insurance agent didn't seem to be very knowledgeable in this specialty area. I wonder if a specialty insurance company would have a better understanding of these matters?
Mr. Rumples
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by Mr. Rumples »

Books are a major expense as I age. I don't wait for the paperbacks, and some elderly friends have gifted me antique books; vintage books are easy to find at yard sales. A collector was moving into a nursing home and I bought his two custom made wood bookcases (8'x48") for $100 (found on Craigslist) for my "snug" room. Some books are in the living room like large books with pictures which perhaps, but not often, someone might pick up. All books (gifts, yard sale and store bought) go into the freezer for a week to kill any potential bed bugs (libraries have had them here) and any other critters hitching a ride. One regret I have is when moving having given away some of my library which included various textbooks and authors. There is no sense in buying the books again, since I would not read them (they were mostly religion and philosophy and my eyes glaze over now if I try to read some of these things). I did hold onto, for some reason, my German and Hebrew language books which I take to doctor's appointments to study as I wait.

Bookcases are attached to the wall so they don't topple over. I do it with eye hooks into the wall and the top of the case connected by wire.

I find more esoteric history books at museums. My main focus and interest is history and biography with a bit of mystery to break it up. (Fiction is always a paperback.).

As with many possessions now, I am marking them with stickers if they are of any value. My heirs haven't a clue about antiques and collectables.
"History is the memory of time, the life of the dead and the happiness of the living." Captain John Smith 1580-1631
deserat
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by deserat »

Interesting thread.

I have moved many times back and forth overseas. I used to have a lot more books especially for 'entertainment purposes' however I realized that I would read them and then they would sit. What I did use was some reference books and often. So, I have been slowly culling my book collection and right now have very few fiction books (most are either electronic now or borrowed from the library). The books I have kept include quite a few craft books for my crocheting/knitting hobby, quite a few travel books for my traveling, a few technical texts and other reference books that I use for teaching or have just kept due to my profession, some cookbooks that I use regularly, and a few really nice art books and museum books. All others are gone or electronic.

I have even culled quite a few knitting books as I don't do that much anymore. I notice what I've kept are some seminal thinkers in the areas I have interests. I refer to those often. I have also kept some book like the Tightwad gazette series, Your Money or Your Life, and some other original books on finance or saving money (frugality) (Bernstein's Four Pillar, etc). I try not to add, although, I did just go to an art exhibition and purchased some nice art books.

I've also noticed that there are certain activities that I prefer having a book in my hand -for example, in my craft of crochet, graphical representations along with stitch 'recipes are listed in patterns and it is easier to have it in physical versus electronic form over time to refer to when doing the craft. It's a similar feeling with cooking - having the book open - plus you don't worry so much if something splashes on it.

With regard to the travel books, they do age out, but the general ideas of what that particular place is like and where to go haven't changed much. I've noticed the online information tend to be less dense with less history and more geared to the 'selfie' crowd. I refer back to my older travel guides often to give me a good beginning overview for travel planning and then augment that with the stuff on the internet.

One last thought regarding older textbooks. I have been doing some writing about the seams along engineering and the creative realms. I have found that many of my older textbooks have greater insight, better writing and better examples than what is available today with regard to some creative thinking and design. I am glad I kept several of those older texts.
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snackdog
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by snackdog »

A library is certainly doable. All you need is shelving and books. I have two friends with vast collections that pretty much dominate their living spaces. One collects children’s books and the other paperback science fiction. To each his own!

We have always been quick to pass along books after reading them. I would rather someone else enjoy the book than have it sit, forlorn, on my shelf for eternity.
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Jags4186
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by Jags4186 »

I want to throw all my books away but can’t bring myself to do it.
stoptothink
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by stoptothink »

Invest4lt wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:02 pm Like others have mentioned, I've gone in the opposite direction. I discovered that most college text books are not worth much, if anything. Higher Ed wants the latest edition, and these days, the editions are becoming increasingly ebooks.

Instead of thinking about my library, which did look nice, I decided to think of what would happen at my demise. Especially the burden of disposing the books. So, I packed them up and donated most of them. I haven't regretted the decision in the least. I decided that I would re-purchase any book that I wanted to re-read. And, guess what? I haven't made any re-purchases of books I donated. YMMV.
Did the exact same thing. Today, once you buy a physical college textbook, it depreciates about 90% in a day...if you can sell it at all.
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Morgan22
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by Morgan22 »

Jags4186 wrote: Sun Aug 14, 2022 7:37 am I want to throw all my books away but can’t bring myself to do it.
Don't worry, your heirs will throw them away for you.

Unfortunately in some areas of the country you cannot give books away, never mind sell them. The libraries have too many and aren't accepting any more. And charity shops/thrift stores don't want them either since they don't sell and take up too much space.

My DF has pointed out, after cleaning out a few family homes, he's cleaned up his own home of the stuff he no longer uses so as to not put the burden on his kids. It's amazing how open his house seems now. I did tell him how much I appreciate his efforts.
MDfan
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by MDfan »

I keep a few select books that might have some meaning to me. Maybe have 10-15 books in our house. But normally, as soon as I finish reading a book that I purchased (which is not often) it goes to the local library or Goodwill.
Zeno
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by Zeno »

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Shackleton
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by Shackleton »

DH is the book collector, mostly history, politics, economics, philosophy, and science. When we sold our house this summer, he decided to donate some to the local library and gave them 20 book cartons (the small sized moving box from Home Depot) and we still had about 40 book cartons left to move. That is down from our high when we once moved and had 80 cartons. He’s moving to e-books for most things.
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chemocean
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by chemocean »

For several years, I have been going in the opposite direction, decluttering the house. My public library card is my most precious possession. I put hardbound books on hold, even if they have copies at my local branch, and wait for the notice that they are ready to be picked up. I realize that this method does not support the writers, but they get some revenue from the licenses that the public library pays.

During Covid, when we had to move bookshelves full of college books, I made the determination that even the local community college would not a 50-year version of my CRC chemical reference book. I spent a bit of time, ripping the bindings off to recycle the books. I donated the classical literature books to our local charity because I doubted that I would ever read them again. I am only seven years behind on the books I choose to read from the weekly NYT Book Review. When our children finally emptied their childhood rooms, they each took at least one bookshelf. They also took THEIR college textbooks, which still might to relevant to them in their new careers.

One ratty-looking bookshelf went out to the garage to store tools, although I am being inconsistent because I volunteer at the local tool library. Even, the local book libraries are decluttering and the non-profit tool library was recently invited to move into a half-empty floor of our local public book library. Maybe when we downsize, I will end up donating most of my tools to the tool library.

We now have one bookshelf in our office. The another large books shelf is in our living room and contains art books, atlases with half the shelves filled with art. The last is our guest room on the first floor near the kitchen, which now being filled with cookbooks.
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MJS
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by MJS »

A library is cataloged; LibraryThing is the most generally recommended program/app for personal use. Note that cataloging thousands of books can be very tedious.

Cataloging: Copy-cataloging is significantly easier than original cataloging. Fortunately, LibraryThing has access to numerous collections to simplify adding indexing for volumes and sets to your system.

Too much information.... Books printed after the late 1960's will have an ISBN number, commonly printed on the cover or copyright page. Those will take 1-3 minutes each to add to your catalog. Books from the early 1900s to late 1960s may have Library of Congress Catalog Control Numbers (LCCN or LOC); those will take 3-6 minutes to add. Look up other books in the Library of Congress or in Special Collections. Gutzman (sp?) at Harvard collects historical textbooks and has a catalog you can copy & paste from. If your collection is in a specific area, search Google for _ "special collection" topic _ to locate an online library catalog in your area.
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sailaway
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by sailaway »

I donated and sold my thousands of books and only kept about ten.

If I still wanted an extensive personal, I would have custom built shelves with glass doors to minimize dusting the books. I would invest in inventory software with scanning tags to organize it all. And there would be a couch, a comfy chair and a desk and chair, so that I could read however the mood strikes. Oh, and a destination for the books as part of my estate plan.
MP173
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by MP173 »

I also use the public library card for most of my reading. However, I do have a collection of a various books of interest.

As a railroad fan, I have a collection of about 150 various railroad books and also considerable amount of railroad "paper" including maps, timetable, operational papers, etc. Most of the "paper" is at least 50 years old and become more and more difficult to find.

As an amateur astronomer I have a collection of books, charts, and my own logbooks of all of my observations over that past 25 years. My logbooks include a sketch of objects viewed and a description of each item observed.

I collect slide rules and have old math books and slide rule manuals.

Even tho I use the public library, at garage and estate sales I will pickup books (usually 50 cents each).

Finally, I have my own collection of personal diaries from 1980 to present. The last day I missed writing was November 23, 1980. These are diaries - events of the day and I also have journals in which I infrequently write whatever is on my mind.

I have considerable amount of my own written word, which isnt worth anything other than to me and family.

Ed
fposte
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by fposte »

I began my academic career in the era where any faculty member who was anybody had a glorious library of oak shelves. My work meant getting buried under thousands of new books and galleys every year, which helped erode my hoarding impulses, and the digital wave meant that groaning shelves of books weren't the identity marker they used to be. I therefore focus my physical library more on specialized collections, titles I couldn't amass digitally or that have been curated through taste and high personal value. I still probably have more books than most people, but more leave the house every year, and I no longer have them just to have them.
PhoebeCoco
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by PhoebeCoco »

I love books but I love space even more. Today's NYT article about the woman who cleans up the houses of hoarders made me very grateful for my preferences!

Luckily, there is a very handy item for book lovers called "The Kindle". My Kindle library is currently at 343 items. I could never fit 343 books in my small condo, even if I wanted to.

There are Little Free Library boxes approximately every other block in my neighborhood. They are great for disposing of physical books.

If I get a yen to read a physical book, there is always the Little Free Library or the Public Library.
GreenLawn
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by GreenLawn »

I've been buying moderately out of date textbooks, in contrast to most folks here who are getting rid of textbooks. They are cheap to buy and many if not most textbooks now are in color, an added bonus.

There are many subjects I would like to have taken in college, but professional student pays poorly, so I eventually graduated and left those classes for another day. Maybe someday I'll go back to school for personal enrichment, but for now I'm content with just the books.

Most books I read are from the library, I tend to purchase and keep only textbooks and reference books. It's great that folks are building libraries, I love books, but for now my collection fits in a single bookcase.
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Elsebet
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by Elsebet »

I have one small bookshelf in my office. I prefer reading old-fashioned paper books since I work in IT all day and need a break from screens when I read for enjoyment. I get my books from the library but occasionally want my own copy of books I especially enjoy. I only allow myself to keep this one bookshelf to avoid it getting out of hand, so when I run out of room on the shelf I have to get rid of other books. I donate them to the "Friends of my local library" organization and they sell them at book fairs throughout the year to raise money. I imagine they recycle/trash or donate the ones they don't sell.
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MadHungarian
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Re: Creating a personal (home) library

Post by MadHungarian »

Speaking of bookcases, reading this thread made me re-think the matter of built-in bookcases just now. It might be that built-ins aren't any heavier than my particle-board free-standing bookcases. Perhaps even lighter because plywood is much lighter than particle-board, and also there would be more shared verticals which would further reduce weight.
Plus in certain cases i could maybe include some additional structural support in the bookcases, like lightweight steel girders in the base (like the ones they sell for supporting decks), which would better support that problematic mid-span weight.
I guess a downside would be a little less flexibility for re-arranging the bookcases.
But an upside would be that it would solve the issue of my worn carpet which needs replacing but can't be replaced because of all those bookcases on top of it. With built-ins, the bookcases are no longer on top of the carpet now!
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