A few years ago, I was frustrated by the sheer volume of toys and knickknacks that Buddy Man had accrued over his few short years of life. His closet was packed, every bin that I had purchased to strategically corral items was overflowing, and I didn’t know where anything was. I was determined to get a handle on it.
One day, I forced him to confront it all, prompting him to let go of things that he no longer played with. He was resistant, not wanting to give anything up. Amazingly, he remembered when he acquired every piece. I should have seen it coming but I didn’t. As I continued to press him and encourage him to let go, he said, “Mommy, I don’t see you giving up any of those many books YOU have.” Touché, kid. Touché.
Besides thinking about what a complete and total hypocrite I was, I began to consider my feelings around my hoard of books. The word “hoard” struck me. I hadn’t used it intentionally. I could have said my personal library of books, my collection of books, but, no, I said my hoard because the way I feel comes out no matter what.
I love reading and engaging with words, looking up their meanings and using each with as much specificity as I possibly can. Merriam-Webster defines “hoard” as: “a supply, an accumulation, or fund stored up often hidden away; to keep to oneself.” The connotation is negative!
When Buddy Man forced me to think about how I felt about my books I realized that 1.) I was buying and acquiring out of fear: fear I wouldn’t have access to that book again; fear that if I didn’t acquire it, I would regret it. And fear that if I got rid of it, I wouldn’t be able to ever read it again. 2.) I had books hidden behind books, stacked up behind other books, stored in bins in the attic and bookshelves in the guest room closet, hidden out of sight.
I started hoarding books in 2020. The libraries and stores were mostly closed due to the pandemic and I had the privilege of being able to afford to purchase my books, as well as had access to an inordinate amount of advanced reader’s copies both physical and digital. And boy, did I collect them. If a book looked remotely interesting, I bought it. At one point, I had over 150 unread books on my bookshelves!
Many people say their collection of books brings them joy and helps make life worth living. Luc van Donkersgoed is credited with the idea that you should consider your personal library like a wine cellar. You might not be able to drink every bottle you own, but it is a collection from which you can pull when you need to, when you want to, and when the time is right.
I love this idea. But there is one important caveat: You have to have room for the cellar in your home. I do not!
There is an oft-mentioned joke in the book community: “too many books? You need more bookshelves.” Storage solutions are very rarely the answer when someone has too many of something, which coincidentally was the point I was trying to convey to the Buddy Man.
Don’t get me wrong: some of the books I have read spark so much joy in me: when I see them and pick them up, I hug them to my chest and a little thrill zings through my body. But those feelings were rare for the vast majority of them, especially my unread books. I wasn’t feeling joy. I was feeling something else and it wasn’t positive. It was guilt, anxiety, frustration and disappointment.
I was disappointed in myself for spending the amount of money I had spent. It could have gone to other things. I was frustrated by my aforementioned storage problem. I was running out of places to keep them. Most importantly, I was anxious about when I was going to find the time to read all the unread books. As I looked at my physical shelves, I felt condemnation and guilt. Not joy!
My personal library should feel like an extension of me, changing and growing as I do. There should be room for current interests, nostalgic selections, and favorites that you have to pry from my cold dead fingers. But I also want room for new editions of my favorites (I’m looking at you, paperback copy of A Psalm for the Wild-Built) and books on my new interests (how many books do I need to improve my watercolor skills?). I want room to grow, to change, and to expand. I want to look at my shelves in wonder and delight, not frustration and angst.
I love the word curate: to select the best or most appropriate, and organize especially for presentation. My initial library curation released 50 books back into the world. I considered if I was caught up in the hype of a book when I purchased it, my current excitement level about reading it, whether it could be a resource for my interests moving forward, and if it “sparked joy” when I held it.
I continue to curate every season, seeing what I have added to my collection and what I can let go. I let go of 60 more last year. Looking at my library now brings me wonder and delight, not frustration and angst.
How do you feel about your books? And be honest; the answer might surprise you. Be sure to tell us in the comments.
P.S. The single best thing you can do for your reading life, How asking one question helps me set reading intentions for the new year, and Book journaling tools for every reader.
About the author
Shannan Malone is our MMD Cohost and What Should I Read Next? Patreon Community Manager. Her go-to genre depends on her mood! You can find Shannan on Instagram @shannanenjoyslife.
56 comments
“Curate” is the BEST word! “Thin out” is an okay phrase, but “curate” is far superior IMO. It is so positive, and I like how you said you were releasing books back into the world. I curate my collection/library a few times a year, and then take those that no longer fit me either to a used book store, or save them for our church’s yearly garage sale, which raises funds for our missionaries. Either way, these books continue their life cycle in the loving homes of other readers!
I love that word “curate” so much. Thanks for reading Allison.
I just did the same thing to my personal library. My buying obsession is a bit different. I love going to thrift stores. Whenever I would see a book I might someday want to read I had to buy it. I might not even find it again! The books would sit on the shelf and eventually be hidden by another row of books.
I cleared out over 30 books. I’m donating them to a senior citizen that has a lending library.
I thought I would feel stressed parting with them, but it felt freeing.
Yes, Karen. Shockingly, I haven’t missed anything I let out into the world. Thanks for being here.
So what did you do with the books you released? Goodwill? Sell them? Give them to friends?
I’ve been “curating” my books lately. I took a picture and put it on my social media pages. I’m private so only friends would see it. I asked, “Anyone want these?” I mailed them, media mail, or hand delivered for my local friends. It was so fun to release them out to those who wanted to enjoy them! It made my curation a lot more palatable. 😀
That is a great idea, Linda. Thank you for sharing.
I did that after one curation and I was a bit surprised at how little response I got. Another thing I do is take books that I have finished with to book group meetings. Usually someone leaves with some of them. I have also taken them to used book stores for credit.
I put some in little free libraries in my area and then others went to a local used bookstore that gives you credit toward other books. Thanks for asking, Brenda.
Oooh, Shannan, this hits a nerve in the best way. I, too, have overflowing shelves that used to bring me joy & now only cause me to want me to go organize my shampoo bottles or fold all my fitted sheets. My motivation is different, but the result is the same: I don’t enjoy my bookshelves anymore.
Thanks for the prompt to think about them differently. I can pack up my scarcity mentality & think about which books I want to set free!
It is indeed desperate times if the fitted sheets start to look appealing! 😂
Indeed Peggy. 😂
Glad to hear it, Sara. Thanks for being here.
This post was a balm and an encouragement – I have been in exactly the same place (coincidentally, also since 2020) where I accumluated books in a way where my act of purchasing was probably the more recognizable hobby than the actual reading! I’m still practicing parting with some of my more impetuous buys – thank goodness for used books stores that will put these back into the wild! – but have come a long way. I decided to curate based on authors and two or three key topics (community and belonging, self-acceptance, social justice) and know that the ones I part with are still there through Nashville’s excellent library! Thanks for this post and the encouragement it gives!
The two separate hobbies. 😅 They have their place. You’re welcome, Jen. Thanks for being here.
Hi Shannan,
Look at what your child is playing with regularly. Box up the rest in a non- transparent box and put it in the top of the closet or away somewhere. Just leave out enough toys, not a deluge of toys. Kids get overwhelmed, too. Then in about a month, swap out some toys for what’s in the box. Most likely your child will be thrilled to have a change and see these toys again! I did that with my daughter and it worked like a charm, for both of us! Not so much out, and not so overwhelming!
Buddy Man is significantly older now; I did use that idea when he was younger but he would ask for the toys I had put away. He is a very particular kid; wonder where he got it from? 😅Thanks for sharing Sherry.
For some strange reason, I feel like books are meant to be shared and they do not “belong” to me. I have a few exceptions to this and it’s the copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Madeleine L’Engle A Winkle In Time series I owned as a child. These books were the first books that gave me a thrill to read as a child. Reading did not come easy to me. Now as an adult I am an avid reader, and I think my love for reading reflects in how I want to share my books and love of reading with people.
This post made really made me think. In general I am thrilled about my bookshelves, but I realize that my number of unread books is getting very high. And I have to throw in another challenge – my kindle. I impulse buy books all the time and I think I “hide” them on my kindle – not intentionally, but thankfully no one sees how many books on there that I haven’t been able to get to yet. Planning what to read when I have so many books is challenging, especially since I’m a mood reader. I don’t always remember what review or book list or mood sparked me to buy that book. I would really like to get to the point where there I have fewer options which makes for an easier decisions. I am definitely an aspirational buyer with books. I would like to read it so I’ll buy it! I’m not realistic about how much time I have and if I will get to it. It’s time for me to look at my collection differently and help ease the weight of the waiting books.
@Carol S. – I do the same thing with impulse buying Kindle books as well as audiobooks. I’m embarrassed to admit that I probably have well over 500 unread books between paper, eBooks, and audiobooks (I’m afraid to actually tally up the exact number!). But yet I continue to add more every time I see something I think I’d like, especially if it’s a good “deal.”🥺
I am the exact same way! I do keep an inventory of my collection (current count is 2120 books between print books, e-books, and audio books) and while I do track what I read every year, I don’t distinguish between whether the book came from my bookshelf or from the library. Now that I think about it, I think I deliberately don’t make the distinction because I don’t want to stress myself out over how many of those “owned” books I haven’t yet read, LOL. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop myself from buying books and, more importantly, my overflowing bookshelves actually do bring me joy, but I definitely love the idea of “curating” my bookshelves on a more frequent basis and releasing books back out into the world, whether I’ve read the book or not. Wonderful article, Shannan, and thank you for the inspiration!
Oh boy. I am guilty of book hoarding, and I confess I have far more than 150 unread books in my library. When we recently moved, I “curated” about 100 unread books to take with me to our temporary home to read this year, while the rest of my library went into storage (many read, many unread). I recognize that I won’t have enough time in my life to read every book I want to read. I also justify my purchases by telling myself I am supporting the authors and their work. That said, I really should stop buying new books all the time and rely more on the library! (Or…stop taking books out of the library until I finish reading more of the books I already own!) My intention this year was to read the books I curated then donate them to a Little Free Library. So far I’ve donated…zero. Today I’m relaunching that plan. Thanks, Shannan, for the reminder. This article really hit home in the best way.
I finally realized I can read it from the library or on Libby and don’t have to have it in my home. My favorite books will always have a special place, but I don’t need a hard copy of every book I read.
I can very much relate to this post, Shannan. I’ve been in the process of shedding books for the last couple of years. It’s hard, but I’ve been doing it regularly! I really want to go into my book collecting with the notion of “curating” my shelves, so I try only to buy the books that I am pretty sure that I will want to keep, usually by a favorite author. I am reading more library books and e books now to keep my physical purchases to a low roar. Unwanted books get passed on to family members and friends or donated to our local library. I’m looking at my newly curated bookshelf in my home office right now, and it definitely brings my joy instead of anxiety.
Lately, I’ve been clearing out my bookshelves. Old, yellowing copies of old favorites don’t make me happy. Books that have been sitting on the shelf unread for decades are being donated to local little libraries if they’re still in good shape. It feels nice to make room for some of the newer books that have been in random piles around my apartment, and also to possibly get some nice collector editions of my favorite classics.
Thank you for this post, Shannan! It gives me a lot to think about. Like you, my relationship with physical books (and stuff of all kinds) continues to evolve, which has to be okay. I’m trying not to feel guilty for my past choices of buying and keeping, while recognizing that donating books regularly gives me space to add new titles. Two inspirations: 1. I had AHA moment listening to a WSIRN episode where the guest described the difference between reading and collecting— they can go together, but they don’t have to. 2. A friend is trying to only purchase books she has already read and can see herself reading again later. Seems like a thoughtful approach! Happy reading!
Haha, I need people like you, Shannan, to buy new books and then decide to release them into the wild for me to buy! I have picked up so many new or nearly new books for $1. The start of my hoarding came when I started following Modern Mrs. Darcy! All those titles I hadn’t read! So I went to used book stores, Goodwill, yard sales, library sales and I saw them—and I bought them. To the tune of over 250 books. But once you own them, there’s no hurry to read them…. So, I did a purge a few years ago because I had run out of room, and the burden of ever reading those books was just too much pressure. Probably 60 books. Then another 60. That was as many as I could part with, but I think I need to do another one. I see books that I will probably never read, so they need to go out there to another good home. Some I put some on paperbackswap.com (which I love), some I donated to the library, some I offered to friends, and some went into our grocery store’s Book Bin (for charity.) But there’s no better problem than having too many books! (And I like “curate”)
I went through my books a few years ago when I was cataloging and rearranging things. I ended up getting rid of quite a few (took them in stages to our neighborhood little library). When I first started putting limits on my buying it was because I had several in a row that I disliked immensely and I was annoyed that I spent so much on things I knew I’d never touch again. That was when I started my audiobook obsession. Then I started buying pretty books. I didn’t care what the story was, I wanted it because it was pretty. It took me longer than it should have to recognize the problem. Now I only collect books that 1) I’ve actually read and 2) I enjoyed it. I love my bookshelves now! (Although I do need to start weeding again…)
This post came at just the right time for me. I am divorcing my husband of 26 years and moving out on my own in July. I have been overwhelmed about how I was going to sort through the books I own. I too feel such frustration with the amount of money I have spent on them and how long they have sat, untouched. This will help me be able to release them into the world and off of my shoulders. Thank you!
Excellent essay, Shannen. I am always eager to hear your thoughts. Your essay and other thoughts help me realize that while yes, I have too many books. My problem is slightly different. Books as objects are not something that appeals to me. I actually only have one shelf of books that I will always keep. My book problem is…I like reading books in print and since Covid library holds are out of control so I buy books. Usually from ThriftBooks or Pango so it is affordable to me. Recently, I was recovering from surgery and during that time, I probably acquired 20 books. Of course, I didn’t recuperate that long so just more books. Of course during this time, I also bought 2 more bookshelves but as we know that is not the answer!🤣
I’ve thought of 1 in and I out but don’t trust myself.
Thoughts?
I have a very limited space for books, one bookcase. I only keep what I absolutely love so if a book is being kept then another one needs to leave. Every month I sit a pile of books which are finished with, on the table at book group. They always go, who doesn’t like free books? I would say that 90% of my books were bought second hand anyway, so not a huge layout.
I love this idea, of being specific and having only what fits the one book case. My books are absolutely out of control. I have got to make myself weed through and part with some. It astonishes me how they keep multiplying.
Hi my name is Jennifer and I’m a book obsessed collector. My one indulgence is purchasing new hardcover books. I’ve developed a system to help me with the collection. For every new book coming in on my TBR -another book has to be donated to my public library. I have a very few exceptions but most have to go! This topic would be a great future discussion event.
Very nice writing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. My husband has many bins of books and will not relinquish any, even if they disappointed him. I can let go and I usually donate to libraries who have sales rooms of donations and raise money for the library. And truth be told, I probably need to “curate” more.
I love the feel of a new book in my hand but my husband gave me an e-reader for Christmas. What a game changer. I can check out library books or purchase a book on my reader without the clutter. I still have an author or two 🙂 I will purchase a hardcover of their book, but I have donated books to little free libraries and it is very satisfying. Wonderful article thank you!
I have macular degeneration, and it is uncomfortable to read physical books. The print looks tiny to me. I now read ebooks and audiobooks exclusively, and I’m quite happy reading those ways. I feel lucky that they’re available to me now that I need an alternative to printed books.
My problem is that I have boxes and boxes of books, in addition to crowded book cases. I need to move my physical books along but haven’t “gotten around to it” yet. It’s not so much that I’m attached to those books, but having books in my home shows that I’m a reader. I like having my bookcases in the background of Zoom sessions. Ebooks and audiobooks are invisible when not being read. What to do!?
A Zoom hack: you can make a virtual background and use that instead of what’s actually behind you! Even if it’s a photo of your own room with a bookshelf, and then clearing out books that are no longer working for you.
I think the pandemic put many of us in that same position. I had a meeting with myself about the sheer amount of money I was spending on books. And because I spent money on it, I read some books that I did not enjoy. I have given books away, sold some, and curated my shelves. I have gone back to the library as the source of most of my books, unless it’s a favorite author and I want to add the title to my shelves. I have about fifteen unread books that I own, and I wonder at what point I decide I am never going to read them and rehome them. Thank you for sharing your story, Shannan. It’s clearly a common reader problem!
My downfall has been curating a home library of books for my children, and trying to decide what to do with them as they outgrow that genre or leave home altogether. Will it help them feel like they are home if they see their old copy of The Giver on my shelves? What about the rare occurrence we have kids visit-will they want to pull books to read, or would they rather have toys? Maybe it will turn around and we will have grandkids some day. Is it worth keeping these books for them? Or am I just surrounding myself with the familiarity of a treasured season of my life, unwilling to surrender the sweet smell of their pages for something more appropriate–space for a chair, perhaps, or a tidier look? How do I find archival-quality copies of my favorites?
I saved all my kids’ books and my (now grown) grandchildren LOVED them. They all had favorites from Grandma’s house which we read and reread every time they visited. So if you have room, keep them.
Thank you for this post! I generally read books on my Kindle through Libby, but I am a sucker for a library book sale or a used bookshop, where I feel like I am supporting a good cause. My shelves are overflowing.
I do like the idea of “releasing them back into the world.” Other people could get joy out of a book that is collecting dust on my shelf. Why should I hold it hostage?
Beautiful essay, Shannan, that definitely strikes a chord with me. Neither my overflowing shelves nor my overflowing TBR are currently bringing me joy. I’m likely facing a move sometime this year, so I packed a couple of boxes of books that I “definitely” want to keep so I know what’s left to go through, and now I’m wondering what’s in those boxes and if I really want to keep them. This is inspiring me to take a good look at what I have and say goodbye to the hoarder.
Such a thoughtful piece and one that will resonate with a lot of people who love books and the lives we build around them. As a professional organizer who specializes in home libraries (and as someone who deeply understands the pull of a good book collection), I think the distinction here is so important: a book collection becomes a problem not when it’s large, but when it stops serving you. A library should feel curated, personal, and alive, not crowded with guilt, obligation, or the pressure of what you should read someday.
Books are deeply emotional objects. They hold identity, aspiration, nostalgia, and comfort, which is why they can be so much harder to edit than almost anything else in the home. But more shelves aren’t always the answer. Sometimes the real work is deciding what still reflects who you are, what you genuinely want access to, and what deserves space in your home now. The goal isn’t fewer books for the sake of minimalism, it’s a collection that feels intentional, usable, and joyful to live with. That’s when a book collection becomes a true library
For about a decade now I’ve been a high volume reader. I spend birthday and Christmas money on books – buying a lot of them used so I can get more bang for my buck. But it runs me into that hoarding problem! To tame my unread bookshelf (which is literally an entire bookshelf) I am only allowing myself to check out 6 books from the library this year. I’m still allowed to buy books, but I have been chipping away at my unread bookshelf. Also, to help me curate I now ask myself these 2 questions: Did I love this enough that I would reread it? Is this a book or series I would be excited to hand to my children? If so, then I keep it. If not I take a second to think about the joy I got out of it for a time, which means it was money well spent, and then I release it into the world for someone else!
I definitely fall in the “hoarding” category but I am trying hard to curate. When I look at my wall of books, it gives me such pleasure remembering the joy they gave me — and let’s face it, they make any room more warm and beautiful. I try to purge regularly but now after finishing a book, I ask myself a) was it so good I would want to re-read it someday?, or b) would I recommend it and loan it to a friend? If the answer is no, it goes in the donate pile in hopes of finding a home with someone who will appreciate it. The only exception is my “completist” authors – I’ll keep their books even if one fails the test above.
I can relate so much! I live in a country where books in English are not readily available, and so every time I was back in the States I would hit the used bookstores, taking back as many as luggage would allow and even mailing boxes of books to myself. I also have super-loaded my Kindle, especially with on-sale or free books. I have more books than I could ever possibly read, and I do enjoy the sea of possibilities, but yes, the guilt is real and excess in acquisition is rooted in fear–fear of running out, fear of unavailability, fear of missing out on a really great read. Now if I can just convince myself to cull…
Y’all. I confess I have become a book hoarder. It is not even a money thing. The majority come from Library book sales and Little Free Libraries around the neighborhood. My issue is I have absolutely no will power and cannot resist a book. That people are “giving them away” shows a huge generosity on their part that I cannot seem to summon. I try to curate, but each and every book I pick up and bring home has been obtained for a reason. Something was of interest or I would not have picked the book up. I try to use some of the books as “currency” and give a book in order to take a book, but the struggle is real!! I have a cute loveseat in my bedroom that is slowly disappearing under my ever growing acquisitions. I sometimes have doubled, accidentally or on purpose; just in case I want to do a buddy read. Oddly many of the books I get are books I have actually already read. I am aware I must do something, but it is not easy. I just love books. I am frustrated currently because I have so many I am not always able to locate what I want. Or I even checked a book out at the library, only to find I had a copy all along. I have a bookcase in the garage that needs to be moved inside, but have nowhere to put it. My favorite books are the memoirs I collect by the late great Horton Foote (if I see one I buy it) who was from my father’s hometown. I am happy to report I have shared those with my children and family members and they love his writing as much as I do.
@Ann – I identify so much with what you wrote. I think the joy of collecting books has been slowing overtaking the joy of actually reading the books I collect. I was recently thinking that I really need to get a handle on constantly acquiring more though since there have been many times I’ve seen a book that looks interesting and think about buying it only to realize that I already have it, but had just forgotten about it! I have cards for two library systems as well, and always have my holds list maxed out, so then have a problem deciding whether to read something I own or from the library.
I adore books, and in my ideal house/world, nearly every room would be lined with bookshelves. And, in this ideal world, I would have time to read them all, and someone else to dust them. Alas. What I do have are two fairly large tightly edited bookcases that contain either my absolute darlings that I cannot part with for any reason (which takes up one full bookcase) and books that I like to use for reference, recent favorites that I’m not quite ready to let go of (or that I’m waiting for the right person to give it to!) or that I want to hold onto for some other reason. I try to keep it to these two bookcases (well, and the stack next to my nightstand). Otherwise, I get books from the library, use my Kindle, or treat my neighborhood Little Libraries as a rotating give-and-get source of joy. If my books start to stack up, it’s time to curate! Please note: we recently had to get *just one more* small bookcase for our bedroom to contain the other “essential” books. What can I say, we’re trying…
When we moved out of a house we had lived in, and raised 3 children in, for 20 years, I did a serious purge. The criteria was keep 5 star books, series that I love (even if all books aren’t a 5), books I would reread for some other reason, and books that feel sentimental (each child’s favorite). Sooo, that’s still a lot of books, but we were intentional with building in book storage in every room in the new house-books are part of the decor, but not in a cluttered way. I love that my fiction is author sorted in one room, but my book club books are color sorted in another, and I have a cute little shelf of children’s books next to photos. It’s fun to stuff a Little Free Library-you can find locations near you on their website-and participating in a used book sale fundraiser in your area. Volunteering yearly at ours (proceeds go to literacy supporting organizations throughout the city) makes me feel very virtuous 🙂 donating any books that don’t fit the above criteria. However, I did just “inherit” my daughter’s old ereader and am quickly realizing how easy it is to impulse buy the $1.99 books offered in daily emails. Gonna have to create some boundaries there!!!
Oh boy, this sounds familiar (your post, Shannan, and the comments). 10 years ago, my husband & I downsized from a 1400 square foot house (plus basement, garage & garden shed) to an 875 square foot, 2 bedroom condo. I told him I would move BUT I needed to be able to bring at least some of my books with me. He said I could bring as many books as I could fit on the bookshelves that would fit along one wall of the spare bedroom/office. That turned out to be three full-sized & one narrower IKEA Billy bookcase.
I still had a LOT of books to get rid of. I started the cull several months in advance of the move (and still had to get rid of some that didn’t fit after the move!). We took them to a local thrift store that took books — mostly in cartons from the liquor store — big enough to hold a good number of books but not SO big they would be too heavy! I lost count at (gulp) 60 cartons of books that we hauled away.
A couple of things helped me in the cull. First, knowing that if I really regretted getting rid of a book that I could buy it again. (In some cases, the book has gone out of print, but I can still often find an e-version, or sometimes a used version online.) What’s really helped me is getting an ereader! (mine is a Kobo) — ebooks take up much less space (and often cost less too). Also easier to read in terms of type size, and to take along when travelling or commuting. I keep a wish list on the Kobo site, and I check it and the daily sales listing for bargains on books I’m interested in. If I can buy a cheap (under $5) e-version of a paper book on my shelves, I’ll do that and donate the paper version. (Not always, but usually.)
And if/when I notice the bookshelves getting too crowded and double-stacked again, I know it’s time to do another cull!
For years and years my husband and I purchased our books, first at physical book stores (back in the day we could walk to one in our neighborhood!) and then online. Sixteen years ago we explored possibly moving (happily discarding that idea a few months later!) and to prepare we started the process of paring down everything. The result netted 11 large cartons of books, the vast majority of them donated to a Library. Of course, then we didn’t move. Around the same time our local Library underwent a small renovation with the addition of space. We discovered the joy of being able to once again walk to our local book repository, only this time it was to borrow rather than to purchase. We haven’t regretted the decision at all! We can reserve as many books as we like online, borrow as many as we like at a time, and read with the ease and delight of knowing that we have supported our local Library, kept our book expenditures to nil (or close to that because sometimes a reference book is a useful resource to have permanently on hand) and been able to explore multiple authors and genres without grimacing that we paid money for something we wound up not liking. If a book we want isn’t in the county-wide catalog we can place an order for an inter-Library loan that stretches across the country. Yay Libraries!
PS We didn’t donate ALL of our books; some favorites remainl on shelves in our house, particularly poetry and a wide range of topics for which we have reference books, among others. 🙂
I have LOTS of books and we are moving towards downsizing for retirement. Last year I donated about 1000 (yes, 1000!) books to the excellent Friends of the Library store at my preferred library. Many of them were old volumes they were excited to get. I still need to donate about 2000 more. The deal is I should only have books that will fit on the bookcases we are planning to take with us. My work is cut out for me. Whew.
Oh Shannan. This post couldn’t have been more timely. When we moved to our new home in 2022, I saw my lifelong dream fulfilled: with the help of my very generous brother, I finally had my very own home library built – floor to ceiling, wall-to-wall bookshelves! Those shelves filled up so quickly and now, lately, I’ve been hearing that nagging little voice repeating, “Curate! Curate!” I thought it would be painful, but it’s actually not. Every now and then, I’ll pull several books off the shelves and donate them to my local library. It actually feels good, and it makes room for the new and delightful books that keep coming my way. Win, win!
I can definitely identify with the feeling of guilt or homework that comes from shelves of unread books. I envy those who don’t feel this way, but I recently decided that I want my shelves to represent books I’ve read and loved, not homework. Besides, if I own it, I’m less likely to read it because I feel like I could read it anytime, and library holds feel more pressing. I am working hard at trying to read and/or give away more books than I bring in, and read from my shelves as much as from the library. It’s a tough goal, but I’m feeling a sense of satisfaction as I move books from my unread to read shelf, or “curate” them out.
I worry about missing out on a gem if I donate books I haven’t read so I have started insisting that every other book I read is off my own shelf (vs. from the library). If it is something that resonates with me or I think I’d want a kid to read, I keep it. Otherwise, in the donation pile it goes.