Thursday, October 15, 2009

Booking Through Thursday

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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 weed occasionally; usually right after I finish a book I decide whether or not to keep it, and then once in a while I'll look over the shelves and see if there's anything that can go. There is only a certain amount of space in my home, and weeding is a necessity. I do have more books than I really have room for though!

When I gather enough books, I'll take a pile to sell at the used bookstore; ARCs and anything that doesn't sell can go to a free-books table at work, or a charity shop, or Bookmooch, if I feel like I need the points.


You can read more Booking Through Thursday responses here.

13 comments:

Amy said...

I'm with you. . .there's just not enough room for everything! Nice idea about review copies. I'll have to be sure to separate those out for our church's shop next time I weed.

White Lightning! said...

I weeded out my library 2yrs ago right before my wife and I moved. It was kind of traumatic at the time, but eventually I felt good about it. I think less stuff is better for the mind/soul. And I've come to appreciate the library much more than I ever did.

Plus...it didn't hurt that the books I weeded out? I sold them to the Wellesley Booksmith! HA!

Sherrie said...

Hi!
If I weed books, I usually give them to a charity place. We have a mission here that takes books. Have a great day!

Sherrie
http://sherriesbooks.blogspot.com/2009/10/booking-through-thursday.html

Unknown said...

I've seen people mention Bookmooch and PBS. I will have to try my hands at it as soon as I get rid of the mountain of TBR books I currently have to deal with.

gautami tripathy said...

I weed out yet my collection stays static!

Booking Through Weeding

bermudaonion said...

I will have to weed soon, but right now, most of the books I've read are being borrowed by other people.

JoAnn said...

I weed too, but usually just once a year. Should think about making a decision after each book instead... it sure would make the job easier!

Anonymous said...

I get rid of the ones that I absolutely don’t like, the ones that I rate as “Toss” in reviews. I tend to keep books that are of literary artistry.

jlshall said...

Regular weeding is definitely the best way to go, but I just never have gotten the habit. Which is why I've ended up with books all over the apartment and filling up all those boxes in storage!

Audrey said...

I sometimes wish I could weed out more...I'm out of shelf space! I mostly weed out cookbooks and paperbacks, and those I donate to the library book sale.

Anonymous said...

A very organised way to weed - sounds like you take no prisoners there!

Katie said...

3000 books?! I cannot fathom that. Actually that gives me a headache and makes me want to pump my fists at the same time. I on the other hand, probably have a little over 100 books. I do several things with my books - I share with a friend, when they come back if I loved them I usually keep them, some books I take to a trade shop to earn credit for more used books, and some books I send to my mom and other friends back home in Michigan.

Bryan R. Terry said...

I'm in that situation now: more books than room. *sigh*

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