build a personal library

The definition of a library at it’s most basic level is: 1) a collection of literary and artistic materials, such as books, periodicals, manuscripts, prints, audio and video recordings, and artifacts for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference. 2) a place set aside for such a collection.

The measure of a library ultimately seems to come down to the number volumes and/or artifacts held in their collection. That’s not to say that large libraries are inherently better than small libraries, but here’s a look at some famous libraries and their collections:

The Library of Congress
30 million books
134.5 million total items

Bibliothèque Nationale de France
13 million books and publications

Vatican Library
1.1 million books
75,000 manuscripts

Burton Barr Central Library of Phoenix
over 1 million volumes

Lillian Goldman Law Library at Yale University
800,000 volumes

Ronald Regan Presidential Library
10,000 books
56,000 video and audio recordings
1.5 million photographs

I don’t expect to, nor do I desire to, build a collection as large as the smallest listed here, perhaps for no other reason than I can imagine the horror of having to pack and unpack 10,000 books each time I move, and I still seem to move frequently. But how many volumes should I have? I’m not certain identifying an existing collection as a benchmark is the right answer.

Temporarily putting the ‘how many volumes’ question aside, there is also the ‘do I catalogue my collection’ question. If I’m going to answer the first question with a definitive quantity, then the second answer is ‘yes’. But how?

While navigating the intertubes for @PhxArtYC I came across a draft presentation on Web 2.0 by Museum 2.0 blogger Nina Simon referencing LibraryThing, a social network built around cataloguing the books that you own. Perfect? I thought so, and I Twittered so, only to be referred to listal, another social networking site that allows you to catalogue books as well as music, movies, and video games. Cool too, right? The need for easy cataloguing system now met, the question of which tool to use calls into question what exactly I want to catalogue. Books only? Or do it all: music, movies, and games? I only have 3 PS2 games, but if I’m going include any games, I’m going to want to include all games, even old-school style board games. Please tell me you’ve heard of Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit. Of Clue and Risk (never actually played this but I do own it).

K.I.S.S. – Keep it simple stupid. This here be about the books.

And because every good goal has constraints… I want a measure that is not completely arbitrary, but rather one built around my own reading habits (or goals). How many books do I think I can read in a year? Perhaps a better question, how many do I think I will read in a year? How many would I like to read in a year? Shoud I plus some percentage to account for books I want to own or am gifted but will probably never read. 10%? 25%?

A reasonable measure might be 15 books a year (assumes reading one book per month, plus 25% for convenient math) times 78 (average life expectancy for a white female born in 1977 is 77.9 years). 1,170 books by August 29, 2055.

I started to draft this sMarT almost a week ago, but quit my browser before copy/pasting/saving. Then I got busy. Bummer. Hello square one!

I love to read. I did once anyway. Remember riding the school bus, there was always that girl curled up between the seats, nose in a book, not talking to anybody? She was kinda cute, but kinda more than kinda nerdy. Everyone picked on her cause being a brain was just so not cool. That girl…that was me, right up through 8th grade. Then I had to read to actually learn something. Don’t get me wrong, I love learning too, but having to read for knowledge development doused the pleasure.

I’ve been rediscovering a childhood love that awaits me, a book resting on my papasan, patient for the moment when I sit down in the sunlit window and turn its page.

Such a love, is it any wonder that the unstructured rhythm of bindings rowed upon shelves would provide joy, peace, and subtle anticipation. Where will the tall thin one take me? The one no bigger than my hand? The weighty one? Or the one rough and raw with use?

But because every good goal has constraints… What exactly constitutes a library? This sMarT is difficult, because the path that defines the end is arbitrary.

I have been trying this… and I am just not moving so quickly…

I own 470 books, however, probably less than half of them are worth owning. The first step to building my library probably should be to read the books I have and get rid of the ones that I wouldn’t care to read again or recommend to anyone else.

My fiance and I both want to have a room dedicated to our books. We have quite a few between us right now, but the goal is to have walls lined with bookshevles and a ladder that can go all the way around. We are just buying a new book when we finish with one. Little steps. We will have a library when we buy our house in New York in about 5 years.

They’ve been my passion for the past 15 years, but after multiple moves, I’ve grown tired of lugging box after box. It’s hard to let go, because connected to any book are memories—not only of experiencing that book, but my circumstances in life at the point I read it.

But many of them will never be read again. Others may, but they are mostly valuable for just a few sections. These I want to scan into my computer, index, and keep on file. Then, I suppose I’ll repeat accordingly until I’m left with a finely-honed collection whose value is great enough that I would continue to carry them forward.

I used to have a fairly extensive library of science fiction books, reference books and various non-fiction books. As I’ve moved from apartment to apartment, raised kids and finally moved to a house with little storage space I’ve gotten rid of more and more books. For the most part the bulk of them just sat there unused.

I sold as many of them as I could to the used book store and gave the rest of them to Goodwill. It’s nice to go to the used book store now knowing I have enough credit to get a few books to read.

I still have a library, but it’s much smaller than it was before. It’s mainly the books of my favorite author, Harlan Ellison, climbing guides, books about wine and some cartoon books. I’ve also got some technical books on various programming languages that I use from time to time. My wife has a library of cookbooks and most of the Rex Stout novels.

Now when I read a book I usually get it from the library. When I don’t do that I usually get it used and then re-sell it when I’m done.

I have about 350 books. It is about time I release some more through bookcrossing.

Definately worth it. Websites like www.bookcrossing.com really help get you into the idea of having a personal library as well.

You know which books you have, and where they are, and if anyone has messed with them. You don’t have to go to the library as often and you don’t have to rely on your computer if it isn’t very dependable. I love books. Aquiring them is habit forming, and you usually know which areas your library is weak in. One day, I hope to have leather couches and a fireplace with walls of books, you will need a ladder to reach most of them. The ladders will be on convienient slidders for those fortunate enough to be my guests.