Thursday, October 15, 2009

Booking Through Thursday (8)



Booking Through Thursday asks:

We’re moving in a couple weeks (the first time since I was 9 years old), and I’ve been going through my library of 3000+ books, choosing the books that I could bear to part with and NOT have to pack to move. Which made me wonder…

When’s the last time you weeded out your library? Do you regularly keep it pared down to your reading essentials? Or does it blossom into something out of control the minute you turn your back, like a garden after a Spring rain?

Or do you simply not get rid of books? At all? (This would have described me for most of my life, by the way.)

And–when you DO weed out books from your collection (assuming that you do) …what do you do with them? Throw them away (gasp)? Donate them to a charity or used bookstore? SELL them to a used bookstore? Trade them on Paperback Book Swap or some other exchange program?


I rarely get rid of books, though I should. They tend to build up and make my bookshelves sag. I don't get rid of many non-fiction books (and I have a lot of those). I'm more likely to get rid of fiction titles that I've already read (because I'm not a re-reader). I used to donate them to the library, thinking they'd appreciate some almost-new books that they could put in their system so others could enjoy them, but they'd just turn around and sell them for a few cents. The used bookstores want to give you credits (which I'd never use, because whenever I've been in the used bookstores around here, all I see is a million copies of supermarket paperback romances). So I haven't gotten rid of any books in a while... and I'm starting to run out of room.

4 comments:

  1. I just turned a spare bedroom into a library. There's nothing in there but my books and my computer. I just have to add a recliner and floor lamp.

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  2. I got rid of half my collection during uni so that I could have some extra cash. Nowadays, I'll keep a book if I can imagine reading it again in the future. If I can imagine never picking it up again, I'll sell it/give it away. I figure it's best going to someone who might get something more out of it. :) (Plus my room is the size of a cupboard :P )

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  3. Hmmm, I've only weeded out my "collection" (it's in quotes because of where it resides...you'll see) twice. Once because my dog decided I needed to get rid of a few (i.e. new puppy chewed books on bottom shelf...lesson learned by both), and the second time when we moved. Those from the second time around went to a local library who, at that time at least, actually used the books for their shelves instead of selling them. Unfortunately (or is it fortunately?) , being a voracious reader my collection needs a new home. The overflow currently resides in neatly stacked boxes. Hard to find, yes...safe..yes! =0)

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  4. I LOVE giving books away on my blog so that's usually were all my extras go.

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