I agree with most of these answers but I think you hit at the heart of the reason.
A large library was something I always wanted to have as a kid. I haven’t lived up to almost any of my aspirations I had then, but I’ve been able to at least have my library. This makes me happy.
My library is modest compared to the Beauty and the Beast library of my dreams, but some of the books in it have gotten me through the roughest times of my life. I see my books as friends. :)
i get very attached to particular copies of books, simply because i carried that exact book around, sometimes for months, reading it. we have a few duplicates in our library, and those are the ones i always make sure to mark and set aside.
Perfectly said! I agree. I love to look at my books as a timeline of my life. They remind me of so many life experiences and eras that might otherwise be forgotten ❤️
I buy books on holidays and I keep the receipts or bookmarks from that place in them. It's cool to reread years later and be like oh I got that in that country and then go down memory lane in more than one way.
Also yes to all the home library people. That's been my dream as well. I can't wait to get to the point where I don't have my books in bins in storage and I can have a room where they are all out so I can look at them, and where I can start really working on my giant tbr list and acquire more.
This is exactly it. When I see my book case and the different genres I've sorted it in, it brings me joy. And it's a form of decoration as well, I guess.
Besides, I reread books and loan them to other people too.
To quote a book (that is not in my personal library): Does it spark joy? Also I love visiting someone's house and looking through their books, such a great way to get to know someone and find shared loves to talk about!
This is why I have about 300 books. Finding them in used book stores brought me joy. Having them in my house brings me joy. Reading them again has brought/will bring me joy.
Also some of them are out of print so I wouldn't be able to get them at the library.
Yeah there's really not a logical reason to keep books you've read, especially if you have no desire to read them again, but I just like them.
A room feels completely empty to me if there aren't books in it. I had a roommate that owned no books one time and I found it odd. But he thought it was odd I had so many books, so obviously everyone is different.
I'm the opposite -- I _want_ books I've already read, since I know I like them. I keep stuff I know I'll reread, and leave the rest to the awesome public libraries.
Any method that sparks joy is a good method though! :D
This exactly. I don't cut ties to my old friends that I haven't seen in years, nor do I have to do it with my books either.
Besides, my kid has told me that when I will finally pass away at the ripe age of 150 (at least), he's gonna burn my old corps with the mountain of books I have. Gotta make the fire big enough 🔥 (I once told him that my books will be his problem when he will have to sort out our house some day, and he responded with this clever little hack that funeral services doesn't want you to know... 😄)
And the possible avenues you would like to explore in the future.
Here are some thoughts:
https://www.openculture.com/2022/11/the-virtue-of-owning-books-you-havent-read-why-umberto-eco-kept-an-antilibrary.html
Thanks for sharing. That’s a neat way to put it. Makes me feel better about the unread print and ebooks I have. I like to think that every borrowed or bought book represents something I want to learn or read about.
Great metaphor! Thanks.
Sometimes the roadmap isn't flattering ("why did I ever this this piece of junk was a good book?") but it still can be insightful
and not just a map. sometimes just looking at or reopening a book I've read before will remind me of what's in it and what it meant to me when I read it. Like opening a doorway to a place I've been before. I also keep many books, for this reason.
I love this! This is a perfect explanation. I'm moving in 2 weeks and me and my wife packed up about 60 boxes of books. I did get rid of some, donated to our local library. But so many I couldn't part with because of the memories associated with them.
A lot of them I reread, I'm a big rereader. I mostly only have books that are my favorite or look stunning, preferably both. So they also look pretty. Some of them I also have thinking about which books I will want to have around the house when I have kids for them to read. And some of them are such long classics, or in French, that it would take me too long to read them from the library
^^ All of these points.
Additionally, a certain amount of clutter feels cozy to me, and I'd rather it be books than squishmallows or memorabilia/knickknacks.
Same. Ever since I started reading with an e-reader, I stopped buying as many books. But any time I finish a book that I really loved, that I know I’ll reread, or that I know I want to pass to someone else to read, I purchase that book and keep it. It has cut down on me purchasing books I end up not really loving, and it has made my collection much more indicative of my reading style!
I definitely do this too. I have so many double copies of things due to buying audiobooks, then loving them and wanting to re read them. Sometimes it’s just so I can loan the book out. I also like knowing that if I lose my digital copies somehow, I still have a physical copy. Sometimes, I find a book that i like, then I find a better version of. For example, I had a hardcover of the Hobbit, but later on, I found a beautiful 50th anniversary copy at a goodwill for $2. I also have three copies of American gods. The audiobook, the first edition, and the tenth anniversary edition with Neil Gaiman’s preferred text.
I love re-reading books. I always find new details or something that didn't stand out the first time I read it.
Every now and then I will catch a spelling error that made it to publication.
At one point, I did purge a bunch of my books; I got rid of a bunch that were meaningful in my childhood and I didn't think I'd ever want to read them again.
And then, over the years, I've had moments where I remembered those books fondly and wanted to pick them up again, to realize, in horror, that not only did I no longer have them, I couldn't even remember their titles or authors. They're gone, and I can't re-read them, probably ever again.
Having my books at hand so that I can pick them up again if I ever have the whim to is worth the space of a few bookshelves.
>realize, in horror, that not only did I no longer have them, I couldn't even remember their titles or authors
I feel you on this. There was a science fiction space series in the 80s that I can remember great portions of the first book in the set. But not the title or the author.
I love books, and that doesn't mean just reading them. I love collecting books, being able to call them my own, arranging them how I like and having a visual representation of all the stories that I've read and enjoyed or the stories I want to read in the future.
People say that reading books and buying books are two different hobbies and I agree with that. Not everyone who loves reading also loves having a lot of books as well, a lot of people read from the library/on Kindle/or keep only the books that they think they will reread in the future. Others like to keep every book they've read because that's what makes them happy.
For me, the point of having a personal library is simply that I love my books and I want to have a big and beautiful collection. I find happiness in my little hobby and in being surrounded by books. Not everything has to have a deep meaning behind it, doing something just because you like it is a good enough reason.
It‘s the same for me. I also really enjoyed having the possibility to go to my parent‘s „library“ if I wanted to read something. One of the first books I read as a child was a book from my dad‘s childhood. And I often just looked at my parents book when I was in need of something to read. If my parents hadn‘t kept a lot of their books, this wouldn‘t have been possible.
Speaking of parents, that’s one reason I haven’t seen mentioned here (and to be fair, I don’t think it would apply to OP): My bookshelves are a constant physical reminder to my son that reading is fun and important. He can’t read yet, but already he loves going to “his shelf” to pick out a book to look through on his own or for me to read to him, and as he gets older I want him to see me going to pick out a book and sit down with it. I’ll also take him to the library, but one reason I’d rather not use an e-reader is because to him it looks the same as all the people you see playing on a tablet.
Research has shown that having books in the house that are regularly read/used makes a big difference in child development and their own approach to reading and language. Having the only reading they are exposed to be assigned in school is a sure way to turn kids off of reading and kids imitate behavior that is modeled at home - if adults in the house read for fun regularly, the kids will more than likely adopt that habit too.
And like you mentioned, young kids don't differentiate adults reading on their phone/tablet from adults scrolling social media or watching videos on their phone/tablet. The physical books are important. It's also been shown that kids who read more develop better language and writing skills, purely from reading, and it doesn't matter *what* they are reading (it doesn't have to be the classics or be educational), just that they are reading written text. And there's other research showing that reading comprehension and information retention is higher when reading on paper versus screens (even paperwhite screens).
So yea, a big part of why I keep my books is for my kids, so that they will grow up with that example and those opportunities
This was something I thought about too: if I'm gonna call it a personal *library* then I can lend/give books to folks who might also value them. Gave one of my philosophy books to a good friend who was struggling at the time and she said it helped her gain some much-needed perspective.
I sure don't mind playing librarian!
Plus, you could pass it down to your children if you ever have any. I want to build my own private library once I move out and I thought it'd be a cool idea to make it a generational one. If you take care of it well enough, they should last multiple generations, allowing your great grandchildren to enjoy the books you enjoyed as well.
The oldest book in my library is older than me. In fact two of them are. One was my grandmother’s favorite and the first book I read, the second is my mothers treasure. If I ever have children I would love for them to be able to read these amazing books and know their history.
if you are lending books to friends, make sure you can trust them. I've had many friends who 'forgot' or 'lost' the book and never gave it back or paid me back. That's why I've stopped doing that
My parents are book dragons, we never stood a chance. My poor bf is bemused by my books and at some point I know he will want me to reduce my collection which I will do when I get around to figuring out how to part with them lol.
I desperately wish that the publishing industry would adopt a "buy the hard copy and get a download code with it" philosophy that Bluray has. I love having a collection of books but I also find my Nook far more convenient for travel and appointments that might involve a long wait.
I also wish ereaders had a function where you could listen or read and it would mark your place no matter which form you were using. Say I want to listen to my book on a long drive but then would like to read it while in a waiting room. I really don't want to have to jump around on either medium to do that.
I find this question to be silly. What’s the point of any non-necessity? Do people really stare at the decor and other non-essentials all the time? People keep books for various reasons. They enjoyed them, they may want to revisit them in the future, some people like to display them after reading.
Ask your girlfriend why she keeps some random non-essential thing and see what she says. I would not be getting rid of my books (or anything else for that matter) simply because the other person didn’t find value in keeping them.
Just as a devils advocate, books tends to take up a good amount of room when they are in such large quantities, and if storage was an issue I could see that being a reason for questioning. But overall I agree with your points.
This has recently been an issue for me. I moved into a smaller space and just don’t have the room for a proper library any longer, and likely never will again. So there’s no sense in me keeping boxes upon boxes of books that I can’t even easily access. So. I’ve been getting rid of my books.
I mean, I live in a minivan and I still have a bunch of books that I hang on to. I have to be a lot more selective about which ones get to stay, but some of them are too good or too relevant to get rid of. I also get my books from used book stores and thrift shops, so I’ll often want to reread a book but won’t be able to find a copy.
I agree with that to a certain extent. I’m fortunate enough to have space for all of my books without issue. However, in OP’s case, we don’t know how extensive their book collection is, and it sounds like OP and SO had already been living together prior to the move, so presumably they rented a space knowing if all their stuff as is would fit.
OP can obviously do whatever they want with their books, but I don’t think someone should ever just have to get rid of something simply because the other person doesn’t see the value in it (which seems to be the case here based on the limited info we have).
Now if this were a full on hoarder situation, obviously not cool, but I don’t think that applies here.
Many people use a move as an opportunity to assess what items they really want to keep, which I think is healthy.
I agree that having to get rid of something because the other person doesn’t see the value in it is a sign of an unhealthy relationship, but I think a sign of a _healthy_ relationship is occasionally asking, “This thing you have — this space-taking object, or perhaps this time-consuming habit — do you just keep it out of habit, or does it benefit you in proportion to its cost?” (Not in those words lol) Then, of course, accept the answer, which it seems OP’s partner did — they don’t say anything about getting rid of their books.
The question is not something I would consider silly, just take OP's case— it made them realise that they had no answer to that question and no reason to keep the books (and may even give them away!). It's true that most people will have some reason like the ones you stated, but sometimes (like in OP's case) it may make someone realise that they are doing it out of pure habit (maybe using much-needed money and space) for no real reason.
If someone was forcing you to get rid of the books it's a different story, but simply asking a question like this is not pointless I feel, if nothing else it may be thought provoking or provide a new perspective, like many answers to it in this thread do.
True.
If one doesn’t worry about culling books, well, then one doesn’t worry about culling books.
I have an older friend (who reads slowly to boot), said he started getting rid of previously read books for good that he realized he would never read again, no matter how much he liked them the first time around (“The Red and the Black” was his flagship exemplar), because he was pushing 50.
Also, having to pack up and move them (again, some more), is a deterrent to a lot of people.
I more so meant the girlfriend asking was silly. Hence my suggesting OP ask why she keeps any particular non-essential thing. There doesn’t have to be a reason someone keeps books (or whatever else); you shouldn’t have to justify why you keep something in your own home.
I just moved, and my partner and I had these kind of conversations about many of our belongings. "Do we really need this?" If she says "Yes, I want it," then that is the end of the conversation. But things change when you move, and it is better to filter out clutter than to hurt your back carrying it to the next place.
I mean, there probably should be a reason. Liking something is a reason. Just doing something because that’s what you’ve always done is not a reason to continue to do something.
Coming from me personally- my cousin and his wife just had us all over to hang out a while back and it was my first time being over at their house and their living room was like full of mementos- favorite books that I remembered being on the bookshelf in his childhood bedroom, different souvenirs from travel, family photos, etc.
I’m not gonna keep every book that I read but I definitely plan on keeping a select few for when I actually have shelves and not just a tiny bookcase in our apartment’s guest room.
To reference, reread, to lend, as decoration, as a sense of accomplishment, as conversation starters. It's like collecting anything except you've invested hours, not just money, into them. It's a hobby like anything else. It's kind of like knitting, just because you've finished the scarf and the project is over, you don't just throw it out. You wait until it's cold out, or you need a quick gift for someone. It's not a shot glass from Cozumel.
I did get rid of most of my books not too many years ago, decided it was becoming a fire hazard, and all of the local empty take a book things needed them more than I did. I just purchased digital copies of books I couldn't live without, and I haven't really regretted that decision. It's a personal choice though.
>why not just get rid of every book you haven't touched in a year or two?
Because that's a totally arbitrary number, probably rooted in the minimalism trend of the 2010s. I'm just re-reading Discworld and I had some of these books since my teens. According to this rule I'd have to rebuy most of the series now. What a waste of money and resources.
I don't keep books around that I know I won't read again, but I find a new home for them straight away, after I finished or DNFed the book. I don't wait for an arbitrary amount of time.
Just ask that partner if they touch everything they own at least once a year. Did they listen to all their CDs? Watched all their movies? Played all their games? Used every eyeshadow color in the pallets? Painted with every brush? Used all their tools? ...
Lol discworld. There's the ops answer. I recently reread a lot of asimovs books on my tablet, books I owned when I was younger.
Though that's not the real reason. The real reason is I just like having shelves full of books even though I prefer to read digitally. I no longer get rid of books. I even keep my old textbooks.
While I love to read, I also really like the aesthetic of books. A nice bookcase can give a room an entirely different atmosphere. On top of that I have a lot of books related to my subject at university and I don‘t want to only have „work“ books at home. Other people have small figurines that they collect and use as decor and I prefer books.
Exactly, I love reading, but seeing my beloved books sitting there also brings me joy. They feel warm and cozy. I don't keep every book I have ever owned, just the ones where seeing them brings back a smile.
I also lend them to friends and family fairly often. Plenty never return, though I recently received one back after about five years! Haha
I agree with this. A bookcase for me is as charming/cozy/decorative as a piece of art or a fireplace. Plus I can re-read the books.
Some people like to have a bowl of twig balls on their coffee table.
Not only do books look good, they organize easier than most collectible items, and take up surprisingly little usable space for how many you can pack in. A bookshelf that occupies maybe three square feet (1/4 square meter) can hold a hundred books. Built-in bookshelves are more efficient still, and certainly beat a blank wall.
This is actually something I’ve noticed from looking at photos of people’s houses and architecture; rooms from the pre-Internet (or at least pre-smartphone) era just had more books. Offices had bookshelves, ditto kitchens and living rooms, and not huge floor-to-ceiling shelves either, often just a shelf or two tucked into a corner or above the microwave or something. Obviously interior design is a pretty individual thing, but I really like what little bookshelves add to a room. Now that I’ve noticed it, even the less minimalist designs I’ve seen from more recent years just look kinda empty.
I reread my books multiple times, sometimes dozens of times. Plus, I lend them out, and I have a kid who reads. It seems silly and wasteful to me to get rid of books
I can tell you from experience. I read almost every science fiction book in the 1960s and 70s. In the 1980s while moving I boxed them up, about 6 cartons of paperbacks and gave them away. Worst thing I ever did. Keep your books.
Boxes and boxes of Asimov, Del Rey, Clarke, Herbert and many others, gone because I moved too many times and didn't want to lug them around. I have hundreds of books stored as epubs but it's just not the same. Had I saved the comic books that I bought in the 60s, I could have retired years ago.
Personal experience has taught me that if I give away 10 books to thin my library, within 4 months I will be looking for at least 2 of those because I want them for some reason (look up something, re-read, loan to a friend, etc.)
BOX the ones you believe you are truly unlikely to want again so they are out of the way. If 2 years go by without digging into the box, open it & look over the books there. Wait one week (min. - it probably take you that long or longer to actually take it to donation anyway) and if you have not thought about any of the boxed books’ content in that time, you will probably only miss 1 of them. 😉
* Although I very seldom re-read a book entirely, I do enjoy re-reading a favourite passage from time to time.
* When I was younger, I would buy more (secondhand - almost all my books are s/h) books than I read. Nowadays, I am reading more than I buy - and so am getting through a backlog that in some cases I bought several decades back.
* I thoroughly enjoy being able to reach out and pick up an unread book within arm's reach at any time.
* Also thoroughly enjoy being able to look up books and passages that are referenced in whatever book I am reading at the time. Back before the internet, particularly, one way that gauged how much I had enjoyed a book was by the number of other books that were scattered open on the floor - as I had looked things up - by the time I had finished it. Less so now, with many particularly well know works readily available online, but the principle is still there.
I think this is a question which you'll get a variety of different answers on, based on who you ask. Many people would say that a personal physical library has never had any relevance, even less so in the day of digital media.
Personally I like having my modest little library around me. My attic has been converted to shelving along all the walls, two window nooks for sitting in, and a double row of shelves down the center of the attic. I've got about 3k-ish books. When I read, I enjoy sitting in one of the window nooks, having the warmth of the sun on me in a cool room, my tea beside me as well as the scent and sight of all my books at hand.
I like the visual appeal of all my books, both from an atavistic and avarice perspective. I also enjoy rereading some of my books, or having them available to physically lend to people. When I have guests the books frequently provide a conversation point.
However.... Books do take up some space. I move not infrequently, and moving the books is a hassle. They weigh a good bit, especially once you get past a few hundred of them. In all honesty, I've slow down my acquisition of physical copies. Now I only pick up physical copies of books when it's an author I know and love, so I want to give them the fullest financial support which I can, or it's a book I'll be referencing a great deal. I find it's easier to study or work with a book in physical form rather than digital if I want to retain what's in the material. If I just need something for reference purposes, a PDF is far faster to search and use.
I have several times the number of digital books than physical ones, because of space, cost and convenience concerns. I read constantly when I travel or even just waiting in line at places, so having digital books is very useful.
Friends of mine with significant book collections have downsized recently. Their criteria has been mixed but the primary focus has been: Do they love the author? Is it a book they have or will want to reread? Is there a sentimental value to the book?
If they answered 'no' to all of those they've often donated to a friend, a public library, or other book source.
Thank you! :)
I just enjoy having my books, and it's no different imo from people who collect figurines, Disney stuff or DVDs/Blu-Rays. We just like hoarding a particular something.
Here's a great write-up on the purpose of a personal library from Umberto Eco. https://fs.blog/the-antilibrary/
My personal feeling is that books are my friends. Why would you get rid of your friends?
I keep them because I both reread them and use them for reference. They’re aesthetically pleasing. I might not always have access to an elibrary…those books don’t belong to me, even if I’ve “bought” them (because I haven’t bought them, I’ve only leased them). Because I enjoy owning things I love.
Edit: Someone else mentioned getting rid of books one hasn’t touched in a year or two. I might not need to look at something for five years, or reread something for ten; getting rid of books after a year or two isn’t a wise time frame for how to think of book use. They’re books I look at once every twenty years; but I don’t have easy access to otherwise; that makes them worth saving.
What if the power goes out? What if the internet is down? I don't want to depend on modern society in order to read books, so I've started collecting paper books again.
My personal library is only classics and personal favorites that I enjoy rereading. I typically do most of my reading on my Kindle or using the Libby app on my phone. When I do buy a book( or more often than not, have them gifted to me) I read them, then I either drop them off at the library donation box or pass them on to someone who I think will enjoy it. I did have a large library collection years ago before most of my reading went digital. But when I moved I chose to donate them as opposed to hauling them with me. At that point I realized that I should have done so years ago, and that a more modest collection of favorites makes far more sense.
As an additional thought look into the idea of the anti-library. The idea being that it’s the books we haven’t read in our library are the most important. They keep us humble by reminding us of all the knowledge we don’t yet know.
Books to me are alive. They bring me comfort, peace and a pleasant atmosphere. It’s the same thing as asking someone why they have indoor plants - why not just see plants outdoors?
Simply being around hooks brings me serenity. I have infinite amazing memories. Every book has a slightly unique smell and feel. I never ever let go of a book I love. I keep it and run my hands along the spine and it’s like visiting an old friend.
I’d rather have my home filled with books than literally anything else.
My book collection is a comfort to me; it’s the one steady thing in every place I’ve ever lived. The books from my deceased loved ones come with me to every new home.
The older I get, the more I agree with getting rid of books. The only ones I want to hold on to are ones related to my job as a teacher. I really like using the library and my Kindle too.
Rarely to read them again.
Often to give them away to people which I know would enjoy them.
Most of the time to have something in my home that shows people what I'm interested and excited about. I think a visible bookshelf in a living room generaly gives you a pretty solide idea of a person and can be a great conversation starter.
I used to keep a huge library, every book I owned, but I realized that, as far as the books I’d read already, I was just keeping them in the - almost-never-realized! - hope that visitors would see my bookshelves and be impressed by how brilliant and urbane I am. It was a tacit brag.
Now I donate everything I don’t expect to reread. Hopefully someone else gets to enjoy my books. Let ‘em out into the world, rather than hoarding them.
This is what I do too — I have to absolutely be insanely in love with a book to hold onto it. Otherwise it will go to a local secondhand book shop and the owner gets so excited to have my cast offs ha. Every few years I access the books I decided to keep and give a few of those away too.
I refuse to live in a home without books. I never have and i never want to do it in the future.
Books are such a huge part of my life...language learning books, history books, novels, short story collections. They have all made me into who i am. And continue to shape me, one book at a time.
Why won't i get rid of my already read books? Because i love rereading. Many books deserve to be revisited throughtout one's lifetime.
Why won't i get rid of books i haven't touched in 2-3 years? What a silly question. Just because i haven't read it in the past 2-3 years doesn't mean that i won't ever get to it in my life. That is such a short time frame!
I am not a library user, i like to own the books i read, so a personal library is of vital importance to me. It allows me to pick and choose a book for which i am in the mood. It grants me the freedom of changing my mind, picking up something else.
And there is no way i am donating my beautiful books unless i have read them and don't intend to reread them.
They make my home feel like home and they make me feel like me. Looking at them inspires me to read more and read better!
Most of my books are classics in beautiful editions, illustrated, some bound in silk, some bound in leather and so on. They don't just contain incredible, life-changing stories, but they themselves are physical works of art. Looking at them inspired me to pick up book-binding and painting as hobbies.
Seeing them doesn't just give me joy, they also make me recall very fondly the experience of reading them for the first time. Sort of like photographs from a fun day/ trip/ event.
My house and my life would be dull without my personal library.
All of this. And rereading books.. I love it. Let me catch all those tiny tiny breadcrumbs throughout the book/series. I find something new every time I read it. Reading a book I've read before is cozy- like covering up in front of the fireplace with a blanket. And books I haven't touched in decades? I go back and read them and it hits differently because of life experience or current circumstance. I have kept essentially every book ever given to me- whether it was "terrible" or not because even the bad ones have taught me something.
I just wish I had more time to read now. Or maybe I wished I used my time better so that I could read more.
As a huge reader, the only physical media library I have is classic TV shows on DVD, because they’re frequently not available to stream anywhere.
Personally I don’t see any point in keeping most books. Even when I think I wanna hold onto a book for sentimental reasons, I end up giving it away or putting it in a little library eventually. They just don’t serve me. Maybe it’s because I’ve always been poor and lacked storage space. Bookshelves serve me better as working project shelves. I’ve never really had the space to keep things that I’m not using. And as a kids, books weren’t usually things we owned, but rather things we borrowed from the library and from friends. Having lots of books was just never something I cared about or dreamed of. I live the stories, but I honestly just never understood the obsession with owning the physical books after the stories are in me.
I moved so frequently in university that I got tired of hauling my heavy book collection around. I decided to switch to using the library, borrowing, or downloading for an e-reader before ever buying. Even with this method I still have two big heavy boxes of books - and at this point I couldn't imagine having more.
It makes me happy & I like to have physical copies of books I love. I also like to reread them & I annotate pretty heavily so it’s not like I can donate most of them (not like I’d ever want to get rid of my annotated books). I don’t think you have to have a logical reason for it, if it makes you happy keep them!!
My personal library is well within my control. I know what I bought, why I bought it and even when. Buying a few tree-shaped book shelves mean I can store my modest library at basically no cost of physical space in my bed room, instead of a TV.
Everything I bought is bought with the goal of rereading, borrowing, or referencing in the future.
But then again, if you can't justify your spending, it's time to do some introspection. Why do you have all these books lying around?
Getting rid of books? That's like saying goodbye to old friends! Each book holds memories, adventures, and lessons learned. They're like a time capsule of the mind. Besides, who knows when you might want to revisit a beloved story or lend a book to a friend?
Generational wealth. We have 400 years of Family built library. Its distributed between family members. Books in French, English, Hebrew. They cover the whole spectrum of literature, and education. To add to the library the book needs to be able survive 100's of years, no paper back, digital ect.
No, but I have been hunted and chased over the years, you can hide in a book, travel to distant shores, and time. Transform into a different culture, get lost on an adventure. This is why you need a very good constructed book, what if you are hiding in an E-book and the memory chip burns out?
In an increasingly digital age, there's a potential risk that AI "could" replace online content and manipulate information. By keeping a personal library of physical books, you have a tangible and reliable source of knowledge that remains unaffected by such possibilities. It provides a sense of security, ensuring that you have access to authentic and unaltered information. A personal library can be a reflection of your interests, a source of inspiration, and a connection to the past. It offers a unique and personal experience that cannot be replicated by digital alternatives.
Books are decorative items that I also love reading, or even having around as a reference if I don’t plan to re-read.
Asking “why not get rid of books?” is sort of like saying “why not get rid of every piece of wall art in your house?” Technically speaking, there is no reason for my house to be filled with attractive objects that make me happy and fill my mind with enjoyable thoughts and memories. It doesn’t actually do anything. But what sort of house is it, where you don’t keep any objects you love and enjoy, solely because other objects technically have more utility?
I was someone who only read a few books growing up and the majority of those were mandated by school.
I always wanted to read more, but always had a hard time getting into books right away.
Now I’m in my 40’s, I’m a Technician who drives all over the place and was going through a devastating divorce and dealing with a lot of craziness in life and then a few years ago after getting a free 3 months of Audible, I started listening to Audio books.
That was such a game changer for me and helped me understand myself better in several ways. I’m a slow learner so to speak and being able to listen while I drive helped me stay reading with my ears past the sticking point of which I would normally stop when attempting to read a physical book.
Now I listen to audio books AND read physical books and I’m SO happy that I get to experience all these stories and worlds that I missed out on.
Every book on my bookcases is a Trophy 🏆to me. I get to look at them and know that “I” did that. “I” accomplished that.
It may sound silly, but it means a lot to me. ✌️
I like them.
It's an easy way to show friends and guests what kinds of books I enjoy.
They smell good.
I want to have books in the house for the kids to pick up and read.
Books work without electricity.
She have anything she collects?
Most stuff people collect is useless and just for themselves (funko pops, ceramic ducks), personal libraries are also for yourself but are also functional.
Every time when I get home from capitalisming, the world has sapped me of my energy, my joie de vivre, my everything. But when I walk through that door, I'm greeted by my cat and my shelves. For a few hours, I'm happy again.
yes, I see this reaction from those who don’t read a lot or read for practical value. I don’t see it often from those who enjoy reading and read a lot. They just seem to understand.
A personal library is good because you can always unplug yourself from your digital world and immediately enter the world of your favorite books. Pick out something that depending on your mood or that catches your eye. Plop down on a chair. Review/re-read your non-fictions. Go through your markings, notes, and whatnot. And then pick out a related book from your library to see how they connect. And then there is just the collectible, nostalgic, adornment aspect of a library: to see all your favorite paper books lined up on the shelves. Some of them have attractive covers and some of them are worn and yellowed - all are deeply personal and valuable. A personal library is an instant snapshot of your interests and history of your thought progression.
To remind myself of how little I know, ready access to a wealth of knowledge.
Spark curiosity (myself, family and friends)
A map of my world of books over time.
Ambiance.
To revisit a book I read in the past, in full, a chapter, or just a tabbed section.
Not all books I own are ones I've read.
Nassim Taleb talks about a concept called "the anti-library", which are the books you own but haven't read. He talks about how our personal libraries are research tools and so all the unread books represents all the things we don't know yet. I quite like this concept, and see my unread books as an intention to keep learning and improving myself. It represents all the things I have yet to discover.
As for the read books, I hold onto everything from the past year and then I cull everything but my most favourite books.
I hope to be a writer one day so my personal library is a collection of everything that inspires me and can use as reference when I need it. I annotate my books and analyse writing techniques so I tend to buy rather than borrow books. (Plus independent bookshops are dying so I try to support them as much as my means allow)
I read and reread my books all the time. Occasionally a book will vanish for some reason and when I want to read it again I have to buy a new copy.
If your girl wants to throw away your books, ask her if she'll pay to buy a new copy every time you want to reread a book.
I only like to keep books I love ( either the story or the memory), ones I want to have to share with others ( favorite book to read with nephews, for example), and books I'm still wanting to read - especially if they were a gift or would be hard to find. ...so I've ended up with a lot of books, but don't buy many now unless it really fits a category above.
Yeah if I don't reread my books then I don't keep them. (Other than ones I'm keeping for my children when they get older)
My wife and I combined have a library of around 1000 books. We are avid readers and rereaders.
I also haven't discovered a perfect system for following series releases so having book 1 on my shelf will periodically remind me to google and see if book 2 has come out yet. (Or book 3 or 4 or whatever)
I’m not big on re-reading, but being surrounded by the stories that I experienced is comforting. There’s also the joy of having friends over and lending them out or starting a discussion over a book we both loved (or hated haha, though I usually donate those).
I worked for much of my life (and still work) in order to have a good home library. It's one of my top priorities, and I paid to move the endless boxes of books around every time. I love being surrounded by a mix of the thousands of books I've read and loved, ones I haven't read yet but which await the right mood, and just the aesthetic of the shelves. I use them for reference and teaching, for relaxing, as a resource for my family, etc. I have a book here for any reader, any state of mind, and some comfortable chairs and couches to enjoy them in. Other folks have other hobbies and ways to spend their cash: this is mine.
I have ADHD and autism, so that may impact my reasons. For me personally, I suffer pretty badly from memory issues. Without touchstones like the physical books to draw them out, my memories of the stories can just... Well, not disappear exactly, but go somewhere in my head where they just don't come back unless the perfect combination of stimuli recalls them. That and I love picking up books and flipping through the pages, enjoying the prose snapshots of who I was that flow out.
Mari Kondo would say once you’ve read a book you’ve taken in all its content and you’re unlikely to read it again. If you’re not going to use it for decoration then it’s time to let it go.
I on the other hand would not say that. Mainly because I’m saving a lot of books for when my kid grows up. There are a LOT of books that I do need to get rid of though.
>why not just get rid of every book you haven't touched in a year or two?
Because I'm not *constantly* reading every single one of my books? Just because I haven't read something in a while doesn't mean I'll never read it again. I bought them, I liked them, I keep them. It's a hobby. Every hobby is "pointless" unless you value the joy it brings you.
I have a room in my house that is perfect for a library, so I keep and display all my books. It I didn’t, I’d probably still keep a bookshelf or two of favorites and ones i will reread.
Well, firstly, not everything has to have a clearly defined functional "point."
If your personal library is a hobby of yours, if your books are something that bring you some enjoyment or happiness? This *is* enough "point" right there. Does your partner have hobbies? Does she have artworks, knick knacks, possessions that are sentimental in nature? Does she "collect" anything? The point of your books is the same as any of those.
That enjoyment is and always has been the main point for me, but on a practical level - (a) I reread books a lot so owning copies and having them on hand makes sense. (b) It came in extremely handy during the "stay at home" phase of the pandemic. I could go browse and find things to read right in my own home.
Sometimes we cherish things even if they have no 'productive' value (whatever that even means) and that's ok. While I do mostly stick to the library for cost effectiveness, I also love looking at my books and remembering how they made me feel, where I was in life when I read them etc.
I like collecting the books I enjoy or are important to me. I do the same for video games. Most of my games are digital because I got them on sale way after releasing, but I’ll still get physical copies for stuff I am really in to
1) I don't want to forget the books I've read.
2) Seeing and even holding books makes me happy.
3) When people visit, I can easily recommend and even lend them my favourites.
4) A bookless house is just not a home.
5) Some day I may have a child, and then all of my collection will be theirs to enjoy.
Firstly, it makes me happy.
Beyond that, I have a lot of collector editions. I loan the books out to friends and family. (I have an actual loan system) I've also attended a ton of author events and a good portion of my collection is signed. Each book on my shelf is a little adventure that I went on and the books in my collection are all my favorite adventures. The non-fiction books I use for a work. A lot. (I work in publishing) I also re-read a lot of my books. Maybe not all of them every year, but I would be sad if I wanted to re-read Anne of Green Gables only to realize I didn't have it readily available.
Three reasons:one, I like to collect and show off my collections, also making a great decoration in this case, two, in case I want to reread a book, and three, to act as an actual library of sorts to friends or family or partners who wish to read something I've spoken highly of or that just interests them.
I keep the books that matter to me, not necessarily all of the books I've owned. Some I hope my kids will read. Some I revisit. Some I keep as a reminder of what it taught me. Some are memories. And some I need as reference.
If the the book doesn't fall in those categories, I give it away.
About five or so years ago, I had a turning point and went through a great book purge. I decided I had far too many books sitting on my shelf collecting dust, many of them there for no other reason than I thought they made me look smart, or lying to myself that I would actually get around to reading it, or old books from college (I'd graduated about ten years, give or take, before that) that I would never read again (looking at you specifically, *Middlemarch*).
My bookcases were overflowing, not pretty to look at, disorganized, and just a mess.
I plowed through the stack of TBR not even filed/put away, and went through with an iron fist: I will only allow a book to stay on my shelf if I will re-read it at least twice. There is no timeline on that; I don't re-read Lord of the Rings every year like some, but I will read it again multiple times in the future (I'm 37, I've got a lot of reading years left), so it stays. But if ever I look at a book and say, "No, I won't actually re-read this again." Then it goes.
It was incredibly freeing. I've always been good at purging my other possessions as needed, but books were somehow sacred, even if I didn't care much about the individual book. Not anymore.
I kind of like anyone who does come over, if they check out my bookshelves, they will see a very tailored selection of me and my tastes in reading (which is, all over the place for the most part).
I just did another mini-purge and pulled a whole box (in conjunction with a house-wide purge which was also incredibly freeing and so much organization, I'm in heaven). I now have room to grow on my shelves, because over time there will be more I that meet that criteria.
I library as much as I can especially for the first read, because otherwise I'd be buying books to get rid of them after one read. If I get it from the library and fall in love, then I can go buy a copy.
That all said, everyone has a different criteria for what makes them happy. I have friends who having bookcases upon bookcases stuffed with books is what they love, and it makes them happy, so they do it. I have friends who have majority switched to Kindle and are happy as clams with their decision. This makes me happy, so I do this.
I think the main point is- if it does "spark joy" to use the now-joke colloquial term, then there's nothing wrong with it, but when it doesn't, then just because it's a book doesn't make it special. And whatever sparks joy is incredibly individual.
I moved about a year ago, and had to shed books. I kept the ones that mattered; enough to fill two shelves. I know every title by its spine, and by its weight in my hand, and the memories it brings. There's a few newer titles on the shelf, but each if those has earned it's place.
I always re-read books and I do not like to purchase them again. I also like to look things up in them. Additionally, if I give a recommendation, I like to be able to lend the book out. But, even if those reasons are not enough. The act of reading encodes memories in it. I may read a passage on a beach or camping trip and it brings back memories of the place and of that period in my life.
Ownership. Say a few years down the line you want to re-read something, or you want to give it to someone else so they can read it. If you don’t own it, you either have to re-purchase it (could be expensive, might even be impossible if it’s out of print) or hope that a library near you happens to have it available.
First and foremost, I keep copies of some of my favorite beloved books, because I just like looking at them, as I might like looking at a picture of a friend. They make me smile. Second, I can take one down and dive into a favorite passage whenever I want. Third, I like having books available for guests to look through. Fourth, my collection says something about me to anyone visiting. Fifth, I love the aesthetic and enjoy the cozy nook I have created in my loft with its wall of books.
I keep mine for a few reasons:
1. It makes me happy. Being surrounded by books brings me joy.
2. I love to share my love of reading. I am the person in my family and friend group that has the lending library to share with people.
3. I keep some books simply because they make me feel nostalgic.
4. I am an avid re-reader. Different books showed my different aspects when read at different times of my life.
5. I grew up in a home full of books and it never occurred to me other people didn’t live like that. I also want to make sure my nephews have at least one home in our family they can come to be surrounded by stories.
Now, with all of that said, I do not keep books just for the sake of keeping books. They have to fit the criteria above things that are sentimental, things I might reread and things I would lend to friends. If it doesn’t fall into those categories, I donate it to make room for more books that might fit into those categories.
I am also an avid library user, I use the library for books I know won’t be permanent in my collection, things I read for book clubs and such.
Because physical books are slowly going away. Some texts are long out of print and becoming harder to find. And digital texts can be altered or amended. And in this increasingly technology oriented age it seems like a decidedly bad and ill conceived idea to let big tech be in control of the digital formats that in the future will be the only source for varying information. Nowadays some older books are even having their text altered in current printings if certain material is deemed problematic in some way. If you have the originals then you can physically open the book up and look at the text that might not even exist anymore in its current presentations. And any dystopian novel that involves literature in some way (Fahrenheit and Brave New World being two of the most prominent examples) rightly notes that the disappearing of books need not be limited in scope, things like Shakespeare and the classic canons will be disappeared just the same as philosophy or theology or science or anything else. If you own the books then you always have physical access to that information.
I went on a bit of a book buying spree in 2021 and early 2022. I keep my own personal library because I like the way it looks on my shelf and it gives me access to books I'm interested in at any time. Of course my shelf also consists of books I've read and really enjoy.
The only time I ever consider donating or selling books is if I'm running out of space, I'm moving, or I just don't like it. Especially moving it becomes a calculation of do I like this book or book series enough to box it up and lug it somewhere else.
Edit: Also it's worth it to mention that as convenient as e-readers are you can lose your account and all your books in one fell swoop because of bullshit. Then there's nothing you can do about it because you agreed to the terms and conditions for the e-reader which essentially states your "ownership" of the books is temporary and depends on if you remain in good standing with the company.
I love having them so that I can pass them on to others. There’s a big difference in saying “I have a book recommendation for you” and “I know this book you might like and I have it for you to borrow”.
For me it happens more than you think and I love being able to share books I’ve liked with those around me.
This comes up every once and a while. The general thinking is: Its YOUR library. Whats the point of an actual library? To have books you may want to read.
I used to feel guilty about having a library of books I haven't read yet. But then someone so eloquently explained to me "thats literally the point of a library".
I get if they are all books you've read and you know that you will never ever touch them again - its worth donating them or selling or whatever. But at the end of the day a library doesn't really take up that much room (yes its annoying when you're moving but typically we don't move that often for it to be a problem) and as the top commenter said - it brings you happiness. Keep it until it no longer brings you happiness ;)
I read a lot, but the majority come from the public library. However, if the book really spoke to me, or I've re-read it, I usually buy it. I also have a sizeable comic collection, and those tend to go out of print fast and be hard to find if I want to re-read them.
I live in a pretty rural part of my country and my local library is pretty lacking. The best way to ensure that I can read a large number of books that are exactly the kind of thing I like is to buy them and keep them in my own personal library. For me, it's practical.
Kind of like how a serial killer takes little trophies from their victims. Except in this analogy the serial killer is taking the whole body to keep. Just a little trophy of “yes I read that”.
1: I like having books. I like having physical media in general. Yes, it takes up a lot of space, but so does a lot of stuff that other people keep around their place that I don't. Like, why do some people have so many pairs of shoes? I don't get it. But if they like it, cool.
2: The books people read (or even just buy and don't read) can tell you a lot about them. When I go to somebody's home for the first time, if they've got a big bookshelf, I'm for sure going to see what's up there. It can spark a conversation or maybe a debate! Given that I learn a lot about people from their libraries, I assume my own library tells people a lot about me and can make for a great bonding experience with new people.
I read most books w/Kindle or borrow from the library. I only purchase hard copies of books that I have already read and loved, so I view my personal library as a physical representation of my taste, much like a prized record collection or similar.
It's a weird question, I can understand both points and can't explain them. In the end, if you like it and makes you happy, keep it. I still keep some childhood mementos that I don't and won't use ever again.
I grew up with grandparents with massive personal libraries, I don't know what to do with them once they are dead and if I inherit it. But it was their pride and joy and they really loved reading and caring for books.
Me, I do like book covers, but I don't like reading things again, or when books inevitably get damaged in the backpack or just by opening. And after 2-3 very heavy house moves, I found it pointless to keep books - and so I have moved fully digital with my Kobo, also physical living space is getting more and more expensive, so even having a bookcase is more expensive (space and money) than it was generations ago, let alone having 2 or 3 mostly useless mastodons in small flats. It works for me and I don't regret it, I'm just trying to keep minimalistic and reduce physical space and goods.
A small but specialized group of books are part of my soul. There’s been rotations but I can’t live without a personal library. How can you live with out them is a better question to me.
I don’t want to sound like a poser reader, but for me it’s just true, that books I love to read are also big part of my personality. Mostly fiction, lot of fantasy and obscure sci-fi gems… Im a lot about magic, wizardry and the arcane.
One look at that bookshelf reminds me of who I am.
I hoarde books like a gluttonous dragon because I'm mostly greedy and collecting tomes sparks joy-- but also the political climate is changing, driven by religious fanatics. (They tried to sue B&N in Virginia to make them stop selling certain types of books on obscenity charges)
I don't trust that the books I love will always be available, digital or physical otherwise.
I'd love it if I were just being paranoid but when school/public libraries are removing any and all books related to lgbtq, racial topics, gender studies, or just anything that is critical of my country's history... I don't think I can be too careful.
The point is that it brings me happiness. The end.
I agree with most of these answers but I think you hit at the heart of the reason. A large library was something I always wanted to have as a kid. I haven’t lived up to almost any of my aspirations I had then, but I’ve been able to at least have my library. This makes me happy.
My library is modest compared to the Beauty and the Beast library of my dreams, but some of the books in it have gotten me through the roughest times of my life. I see my books as friends. :)
Beauty and the beast is my ideal, too! Glad you’ve found solace with friends that you can pick and talk with at any point.
Beauty and the beast Library supremacy🤌🏻
It has been my lifelong dream to have a library with built in bookshelves, beauty and the beast style. I will get it someday.
I’ve always wanted one with a ladder haha
My parents just built one with a ladder, can highly recommend! It's always a joy when I visit them.
i get very attached to particular copies of books, simply because i carried that exact book around, sometimes for months, reading it. we have a few duplicates in our library, and those are the ones i always make sure to mark and set aside.
Perfectly said! I agree. I love to look at my books as a timeline of my life. They remind me of so many life experiences and eras that might otherwise be forgotten ❤️
I buy books on holidays and I keep the receipts or bookmarks from that place in them. It's cool to reread years later and be like oh I got that in that country and then go down memory lane in more than one way. Also yes to all the home library people. That's been my dream as well. I can't wait to get to the point where I don't have my books in bins in storage and I can have a room where they are all out so I can look at them, and where I can start really working on my giant tbr list and acquire more.
My childhood dream is to have a room with wall to wall built in bookshelves!
This is exactly it. When I see my book case and the different genres I've sorted it in, it brings me joy. And it's a form of decoration as well, I guess. Besides, I reread books and loan them to other people too.
It sparks joy.
Just read this book and it's my motto for the week :)
To quote a book (that is not in my personal library): Does it spark joy? Also I love visiting someone's house and looking through their books, such a great way to get to know someone and find shared loves to talk about!
I like books! Lots of books! Books everywhere! More books than I could possibly ever read.
3500+ volume library, takes up an entire room in my house. Bookcases line all the walls. It is my pride and joy!
This is why I have about 300 books. Finding them in used book stores brought me joy. Having them in my house brings me joy. Reading them again has brought/will bring me joy. Also some of them are out of print so I wouldn't be able to get them at the library.
Yeah there's really not a logical reason to keep books you've read, especially if you have no desire to read them again, but I just like them. A room feels completely empty to me if there aren't books in it. I had a roommate that owned no books one time and I found it odd. But he thought it was odd I had so many books, so obviously everyone is different.
I'm the opposite -- I _want_ books I've already read, since I know I like them. I keep stuff I know I'll reread, and leave the rest to the awesome public libraries. Any method that sparks joy is a good method though! :D
This exactly. I don't cut ties to my old friends that I haven't seen in years, nor do I have to do it with my books either. Besides, my kid has told me that when I will finally pass away at the ripe age of 150 (at least), he's gonna burn my old corps with the mountain of books I have. Gotta make the fire big enough 🔥 (I once told him that my books will be his problem when he will have to sort out our house some day, and he responded with this clever little hack that funeral services doesn't want you to know... 😄)
Hahaha, that is a genius idea for a funeral pyre.
It brings me happiness and I think a full bookshelf is a great decoration for a home.
Books don’t change. The internet does. I have a lasting history and reference that works when the power is out.
🫳🎤
[удалено]
Nicely put, I really love the idea of that roadmap.
And the possible avenues you would like to explore in the future. Here are some thoughts: https://www.openculture.com/2022/11/the-virtue-of-owning-books-you-havent-read-why-umberto-eco-kept-an-antilibrary.html
Ah, yes, that's exactly why I have so many unread books... >_>
"We buy books telling ourselves we're buying the time to read them." Warren Zavon
Thanks for sharing. That’s a neat way to put it. Makes me feel better about the unread print and ebooks I have. I like to think that every borrowed or bought book represents something I want to learn or read about.
Great metaphor! Thanks. Sometimes the roadmap isn't flattering ("why did I ever this this piece of junk was a good book?") but it still can be insightful
and not just a map. sometimes just looking at or reopening a book I've read before will remind me of what's in it and what it meant to me when I read it. Like opening a doorway to a place I've been before. I also keep many books, for this reason.
I love this! This is a perfect explanation. I'm moving in 2 weeks and me and my wife packed up about 60 boxes of books. I did get rid of some, donated to our local library. But so many I couldn't part with because of the memories associated with them.
I liken it to the questions of why I keep some cds and vhs tapes despite having used only streaming media for over a decade
A lot of them I reread, I'm a big rereader. I mostly only have books that are my favorite or look stunning, preferably both. So they also look pretty. Some of them I also have thinking about which books I will want to have around the house when I have kids for them to read. And some of them are such long classics, or in French, that it would take me too long to read them from the library
^^ All of these points. Additionally, a certain amount of clutter feels cozy to me, and I'd rather it be books than squishmallows or memorabilia/knickknacks.
Okay but one squishmallow is good, right? Or three? 🫣
Yeah, I can't do squishmellows or knickknacks because of my severe dust allergy. Books are much easier to dust and take care of as well
Same. Ever since I started reading with an e-reader, I stopped buying as many books. But any time I finish a book that I really loved, that I know I’ll reread, or that I know I want to pass to someone else to read, I purchase that book and keep it. It has cut down on me purchasing books I end up not really loving, and it has made my collection much more indicative of my reading style!
I call them my trophy books! Love buying the favorites, even if I have the digital copy already lol
I definitely do this too. I have so many double copies of things due to buying audiobooks, then loving them and wanting to re read them. Sometimes it’s just so I can loan the book out. I also like knowing that if I lose my digital copies somehow, I still have a physical copy. Sometimes, I find a book that i like, then I find a better version of. For example, I had a hardcover of the Hobbit, but later on, I found a beautiful 50th anniversary copy at a goodwill for $2. I also have three copies of American gods. The audiobook, the first edition, and the tenth anniversary edition with Neil Gaiman’s preferred text.
I love re-reading books. I always find new details or something that didn't stand out the first time I read it. Every now and then I will catch a spelling error that made it to publication.
Absolutely all of this. I love forgetting the details of a book and discovering it once again. And I love the way books look.
At one point, I did purge a bunch of my books; I got rid of a bunch that were meaningful in my childhood and I didn't think I'd ever want to read them again. And then, over the years, I've had moments where I remembered those books fondly and wanted to pick them up again, to realize, in horror, that not only did I no longer have them, I couldn't even remember their titles or authors. They're gone, and I can't re-read them, probably ever again. Having my books at hand so that I can pick them up again if I ever have the whim to is worth the space of a few bookshelves.
>realize, in horror, that not only did I no longer have them, I couldn't even remember their titles or authors I feel you on this. There was a science fiction space series in the 80s that I can remember great portions of the first book in the set. But not the title or the author.
Is there an /r/tipofmytongue for books? Edit: no "on the"
Same here.
I love books, and that doesn't mean just reading them. I love collecting books, being able to call them my own, arranging them how I like and having a visual representation of all the stories that I've read and enjoyed or the stories I want to read in the future. People say that reading books and buying books are two different hobbies and I agree with that. Not everyone who loves reading also loves having a lot of books as well, a lot of people read from the library/on Kindle/or keep only the books that they think they will reread in the future. Others like to keep every book they've read because that's what makes them happy. For me, the point of having a personal library is simply that I love my books and I want to have a big and beautiful collection. I find happiness in my little hobby and in being surrounded by books. Not everything has to have a deep meaning behind it, doing something just because you like it is a good enough reason.
It‘s the same for me. I also really enjoyed having the possibility to go to my parent‘s „library“ if I wanted to read something. One of the first books I read as a child was a book from my dad‘s childhood. And I often just looked at my parents book when I was in need of something to read. If my parents hadn‘t kept a lot of their books, this wouldn‘t have been possible.
Speaking of parents, that’s one reason I haven’t seen mentioned here (and to be fair, I don’t think it would apply to OP): My bookshelves are a constant physical reminder to my son that reading is fun and important. He can’t read yet, but already he loves going to “his shelf” to pick out a book to look through on his own or for me to read to him, and as he gets older I want him to see me going to pick out a book and sit down with it. I’ll also take him to the library, but one reason I’d rather not use an e-reader is because to him it looks the same as all the people you see playing on a tablet.
Research has shown that having books in the house that are regularly read/used makes a big difference in child development and their own approach to reading and language. Having the only reading they are exposed to be assigned in school is a sure way to turn kids off of reading and kids imitate behavior that is modeled at home - if adults in the house read for fun regularly, the kids will more than likely adopt that habit too. And like you mentioned, young kids don't differentiate adults reading on their phone/tablet from adults scrolling social media or watching videos on their phone/tablet. The physical books are important. It's also been shown that kids who read more develop better language and writing skills, purely from reading, and it doesn't matter *what* they are reading (it doesn't have to be the classics or be educational), just that they are reading written text. And there's other research showing that reading comprehension and information retention is higher when reading on paper versus screens (even paperwhite screens). So yea, a big part of why I keep my books is for my kids, so that they will grow up with that example and those opportunities
This was something I thought about too: if I'm gonna call it a personal *library* then I can lend/give books to folks who might also value them. Gave one of my philosophy books to a good friend who was struggling at the time and she said it helped her gain some much-needed perspective. I sure don't mind playing librarian!
Plus, you could pass it down to your children if you ever have any. I want to build my own private library once I move out and I thought it'd be a cool idea to make it a generational one. If you take care of it well enough, they should last multiple generations, allowing your great grandchildren to enjoy the books you enjoyed as well.
The oldest book in my library is older than me. In fact two of them are. One was my grandmother’s favorite and the first book I read, the second is my mothers treasure. If I ever have children I would love for them to be able to read these amazing books and know their history.
if you are lending books to friends, make sure you can trust them. I've had many friends who 'forgot' or 'lost' the book and never gave it back or paid me back. That's why I've stopped doing that
That's something I think a lot about doing. I would like to have books around the house for any children I might theoretically have in future to read.
My parents are book dragons, we never stood a chance. My poor bf is bemused by my books and at some point I know he will want me to reduce my collection which I will do when I get around to figuring out how to part with them lol.
I desperately wish that the publishing industry would adopt a "buy the hard copy and get a download code with it" philosophy that Bluray has. I love having a collection of books but I also find my Nook far more convenient for travel and appointments that might involve a long wait. I also wish ereaders had a function where you could listen or read and it would mark your place no matter which form you were using. Say I want to listen to my book on a long drive but then would like to read it while in a waiting room. I really don't want to have to jump around on either medium to do that.
Happy cake day! 💜
Thanks! :)
I find this question to be silly. What’s the point of any non-necessity? Do people really stare at the decor and other non-essentials all the time? People keep books for various reasons. They enjoyed them, they may want to revisit them in the future, some people like to display them after reading. Ask your girlfriend why she keeps some random non-essential thing and see what she says. I would not be getting rid of my books (or anything else for that matter) simply because the other person didn’t find value in keeping them.
Just as a devils advocate, books tends to take up a good amount of room when they are in such large quantities, and if storage was an issue I could see that being a reason for questioning. But overall I agree with your points.
This has recently been an issue for me. I moved into a smaller space and just don’t have the room for a proper library any longer, and likely never will again. So there’s no sense in me keeping boxes upon boxes of books that I can’t even easily access. So. I’ve been getting rid of my books.
I mean, I live in a minivan and I still have a bunch of books that I hang on to. I have to be a lot more selective about which ones get to stay, but some of them are too good or too relevant to get rid of. I also get my books from used book stores and thrift shops, so I’ll often want to reread a book but won’t be able to find a copy.
They're insulation
I agree with that to a certain extent. I’m fortunate enough to have space for all of my books without issue. However, in OP’s case, we don’t know how extensive their book collection is, and it sounds like OP and SO had already been living together prior to the move, so presumably they rented a space knowing if all their stuff as is would fit. OP can obviously do whatever they want with their books, but I don’t think someone should ever just have to get rid of something simply because the other person doesn’t see the value in it (which seems to be the case here based on the limited info we have). Now if this were a full on hoarder situation, obviously not cool, but I don’t think that applies here.
Many people use a move as an opportunity to assess what items they really want to keep, which I think is healthy. I agree that having to get rid of something because the other person doesn’t see the value in it is a sign of an unhealthy relationship, but I think a sign of a _healthy_ relationship is occasionally asking, “This thing you have — this space-taking object, or perhaps this time-consuming habit — do you just keep it out of habit, or does it benefit you in proportion to its cost?” (Not in those words lol) Then, of course, accept the answer, which it seems OP’s partner did — they don’t say anything about getting rid of their books.
The question is not something I would consider silly, just take OP's case— it made them realise that they had no answer to that question and no reason to keep the books (and may even give them away!). It's true that most people will have some reason like the ones you stated, but sometimes (like in OP's case) it may make someone realise that they are doing it out of pure habit (maybe using much-needed money and space) for no real reason. If someone was forcing you to get rid of the books it's a different story, but simply asking a question like this is not pointless I feel, if nothing else it may be thought provoking or provide a new perspective, like many answers to it in this thread do.
True. If one doesn’t worry about culling books, well, then one doesn’t worry about culling books. I have an older friend (who reads slowly to boot), said he started getting rid of previously read books for good that he realized he would never read again, no matter how much he liked them the first time around (“The Red and the Black” was his flagship exemplar), because he was pushing 50. Also, having to pack up and move them (again, some more), is a deterrent to a lot of people.
I more so meant the girlfriend asking was silly. Hence my suggesting OP ask why she keeps any particular non-essential thing. There doesn’t have to be a reason someone keeps books (or whatever else); you shouldn’t have to justify why you keep something in your own home.
I just moved, and my partner and I had these kind of conversations about many of our belongings. "Do we really need this?" If she says "Yes, I want it," then that is the end of the conversation. But things change when you move, and it is better to filter out clutter than to hurt your back carrying it to the next place.
I mean, there probably should be a reason. Liking something is a reason. Just doing something because that’s what you’ve always done is not a reason to continue to do something.
Coming from me personally- my cousin and his wife just had us all over to hang out a while back and it was my first time being over at their house and their living room was like full of mementos- favorite books that I remembered being on the bookshelf in his childhood bedroom, different souvenirs from travel, family photos, etc. I’m not gonna keep every book that I read but I definitely plan on keeping a select few for when I actually have shelves and not just a tiny bookcase in our apartment’s guest room.
To reference, reread, to lend, as decoration, as a sense of accomplishment, as conversation starters. It's like collecting anything except you've invested hours, not just money, into them. It's a hobby like anything else. It's kind of like knitting, just because you've finished the scarf and the project is over, you don't just throw it out. You wait until it's cold out, or you need a quick gift for someone. It's not a shot glass from Cozumel. I did get rid of most of my books not too many years ago, decided it was becoming a fire hazard, and all of the local empty take a book things needed them more than I did. I just purchased digital copies of books I couldn't live without, and I haven't really regretted that decision. It's a personal choice though.
…U got something against collectors of shot glasses? ;P
>why not just get rid of every book you haven't touched in a year or two? Because that's a totally arbitrary number, probably rooted in the minimalism trend of the 2010s. I'm just re-reading Discworld and I had some of these books since my teens. According to this rule I'd have to rebuy most of the series now. What a waste of money and resources. I don't keep books around that I know I won't read again, but I find a new home for them straight away, after I finished or DNFed the book. I don't wait for an arbitrary amount of time. Just ask that partner if they touch everything they own at least once a year. Did they listen to all their CDs? Watched all their movies? Played all their games? Used every eyeshadow color in the pallets? Painted with every brush? Used all their tools? ...
Lol discworld. There's the ops answer. I recently reread a lot of asimovs books on my tablet, books I owned when I was younger. Though that's not the real reason. The real reason is I just like having shelves full of books even though I prefer to read digitally. I no longer get rid of books. I even keep my old textbooks.
While I love to read, I also really like the aesthetic of books. A nice bookcase can give a room an entirely different atmosphere. On top of that I have a lot of books related to my subject at university and I don‘t want to only have „work“ books at home. Other people have small figurines that they collect and use as decor and I prefer books.
Exactly, I love reading, but seeing my beloved books sitting there also brings me joy. They feel warm and cozy. I don't keep every book I have ever owned, just the ones where seeing them brings back a smile. I also lend them to friends and family fairly often. Plenty never return, though I recently received one back after about five years! Haha
I agree with this. A bookcase for me is as charming/cozy/decorative as a piece of art or a fireplace. Plus I can re-read the books. Some people like to have a bowl of twig balls on their coffee table.
Not only do books look good, they organize easier than most collectible items, and take up surprisingly little usable space for how many you can pack in. A bookshelf that occupies maybe three square feet (1/4 square meter) can hold a hundred books. Built-in bookshelves are more efficient still, and certainly beat a blank wall.
This is actually something I’ve noticed from looking at photos of people’s houses and architecture; rooms from the pre-Internet (or at least pre-smartphone) era just had more books. Offices had bookshelves, ditto kitchens and living rooms, and not huge floor-to-ceiling shelves either, often just a shelf or two tucked into a corner or above the microwave or something. Obviously interior design is a pretty individual thing, but I really like what little bookshelves add to a room. Now that I’ve noticed it, even the less minimalist designs I’ve seen from more recent years just look kinda empty.
I reread my books multiple times, sometimes dozens of times. Plus, I lend them out, and I have a kid who reads. It seems silly and wasteful to me to get rid of books
It's just something you enjoy. Not everything has to have a tangible practical use.
I can tell you from experience. I read almost every science fiction book in the 1960s and 70s. In the 1980s while moving I boxed them up, about 6 cartons of paperbacks and gave them away. Worst thing I ever did. Keep your books.
Boxes and boxes of Asimov, Del Rey, Clarke, Herbert and many others, gone because I moved too many times and didn't want to lug them around. I have hundreds of books stored as epubs but it's just not the same. Had I saved the comic books that I bought in the 60s, I could have retired years ago.
Personal experience has taught me that if I give away 10 books to thin my library, within 4 months I will be looking for at least 2 of those because I want them for some reason (look up something, re-read, loan to a friend, etc.) BOX the ones you believe you are truly unlikely to want again so they are out of the way. If 2 years go by without digging into the box, open it & look over the books there. Wait one week (min. - it probably take you that long or longer to actually take it to donation anyway) and if you have not thought about any of the boxed books’ content in that time, you will probably only miss 1 of them. 😉
* Although I very seldom re-read a book entirely, I do enjoy re-reading a favourite passage from time to time. * When I was younger, I would buy more (secondhand - almost all my books are s/h) books than I read. Nowadays, I am reading more than I buy - and so am getting through a backlog that in some cases I bought several decades back. * I thoroughly enjoy being able to reach out and pick up an unread book within arm's reach at any time. * Also thoroughly enjoy being able to look up books and passages that are referenced in whatever book I am reading at the time. Back before the internet, particularly, one way that gauged how much I had enjoyed a book was by the number of other books that were scattered open on the floor - as I had looked things up - by the time I had finished it. Less so now, with many particularly well know works readily available online, but the principle is still there.
With you on that backlog. Just now sitting down with some I got over a decade ago and realizing what I was missing!
I think this is a question which you'll get a variety of different answers on, based on who you ask. Many people would say that a personal physical library has never had any relevance, even less so in the day of digital media. Personally I like having my modest little library around me. My attic has been converted to shelving along all the walls, two window nooks for sitting in, and a double row of shelves down the center of the attic. I've got about 3k-ish books. When I read, I enjoy sitting in one of the window nooks, having the warmth of the sun on me in a cool room, my tea beside me as well as the scent and sight of all my books at hand. I like the visual appeal of all my books, both from an atavistic and avarice perspective. I also enjoy rereading some of my books, or having them available to physically lend to people. When I have guests the books frequently provide a conversation point. However.... Books do take up some space. I move not infrequently, and moving the books is a hassle. They weigh a good bit, especially once you get past a few hundred of them. In all honesty, I've slow down my acquisition of physical copies. Now I only pick up physical copies of books when it's an author I know and love, so I want to give them the fullest financial support which I can, or it's a book I'll be referencing a great deal. I find it's easier to study or work with a book in physical form rather than digital if I want to retain what's in the material. If I just need something for reference purposes, a PDF is far faster to search and use. I have several times the number of digital books than physical ones, because of space, cost and convenience concerns. I read constantly when I travel or even just waiting in line at places, so having digital books is very useful. Friends of mine with significant book collections have downsized recently. Their criteria has been mixed but the primary focus has been: Do they love the author? Is it a book they have or will want to reread? Is there a sentimental value to the book? If they answered 'no' to all of those they've often donated to a friend, a public library, or other book source.
Jealous of your attic library!!
Thank you! :) I just enjoy having my books, and it's no different imo from people who collect figurines, Disney stuff or DVDs/Blu-Rays. We just like hoarding a particular something.
Because they make me happy, point blank.
What’s the point of doing anything then?
"Beats me. I guess we're stuck with it." Basil Fawlty.
Here's a great write-up on the purpose of a personal library from Umberto Eco. https://fs.blog/the-antilibrary/ My personal feeling is that books are my friends. Why would you get rid of your friends?
I keep them because I both reread them and use them for reference. They’re aesthetically pleasing. I might not always have access to an elibrary…those books don’t belong to me, even if I’ve “bought” them (because I haven’t bought them, I’ve only leased them). Because I enjoy owning things I love. Edit: Someone else mentioned getting rid of books one hasn’t touched in a year or two. I might not need to look at something for five years, or reread something for ten; getting rid of books after a year or two isn’t a wise time frame for how to think of book use. They’re books I look at once every twenty years; but I don’t have easy access to otherwise; that makes them worth saving.
What if the power goes out? What if the internet is down? I don't want to depend on modern society in order to read books, so I've started collecting paper books again.
My personal library is only classics and personal favorites that I enjoy rereading. I typically do most of my reading on my Kindle or using the Libby app on my phone. When I do buy a book( or more often than not, have them gifted to me) I read them, then I either drop them off at the library donation box or pass them on to someone who I think will enjoy it. I did have a large library collection years ago before most of my reading went digital. But when I moved I chose to donate them as opposed to hauling them with me. At that point I realized that I should have done so years ago, and that a more modest collection of favorites makes far more sense.
As an additional thought look into the idea of the anti-library. The idea being that it’s the books we haven’t read in our library are the most important. They keep us humble by reminding us of all the knowledge we don’t yet know.
Books to me are alive. They bring me comfort, peace and a pleasant atmosphere. It’s the same thing as asking someone why they have indoor plants - why not just see plants outdoors? Simply being around hooks brings me serenity. I have infinite amazing memories. Every book has a slightly unique smell and feel. I never ever let go of a book I love. I keep it and run my hands along the spine and it’s like visiting an old friend. I’d rather have my home filled with books than literally anything else. My book collection is a comfort to me; it’s the one steady thing in every place I’ve ever lived. The books from my deceased loved ones come with me to every new home.
The older I get, the more I agree with getting rid of books. The only ones I want to hold on to are ones related to my job as a teacher. I really like using the library and my Kindle too.
I am also older and with you. I have a small collection of all time favourites and only use my kobo for everything now (very bad eyesight here).
Rarely to read them again. Often to give them away to people which I know would enjoy them. Most of the time to have something in my home that shows people what I'm interested and excited about. I think a visible bookshelf in a living room generaly gives you a pretty solide idea of a person and can be a great conversation starter.
I like look at book. Book pretty, happy memory.
I used to keep a huge library, every book I owned, but I realized that, as far as the books I’d read already, I was just keeping them in the - almost-never-realized! - hope that visitors would see my bookshelves and be impressed by how brilliant and urbane I am. It was a tacit brag. Now I donate everything I don’t expect to reread. Hopefully someone else gets to enjoy my books. Let ‘em out into the world, rather than hoarding them.
This is what I do too — I have to absolutely be insanely in love with a book to hold onto it. Otherwise it will go to a local secondhand book shop and the owner gets so excited to have my cast offs ha. Every few years I access the books I decided to keep and give a few of those away too.
I always think guests will want to look at my books but they rarely do. It’s always the first thing I look at in someone’s house!
I refuse to live in a home without books. I never have and i never want to do it in the future. Books are such a huge part of my life...language learning books, history books, novels, short story collections. They have all made me into who i am. And continue to shape me, one book at a time. Why won't i get rid of my already read books? Because i love rereading. Many books deserve to be revisited throughtout one's lifetime. Why won't i get rid of books i haven't touched in 2-3 years? What a silly question. Just because i haven't read it in the past 2-3 years doesn't mean that i won't ever get to it in my life. That is such a short time frame! I am not a library user, i like to own the books i read, so a personal library is of vital importance to me. It allows me to pick and choose a book for which i am in the mood. It grants me the freedom of changing my mind, picking up something else. And there is no way i am donating my beautiful books unless i have read them and don't intend to reread them. They make my home feel like home and they make me feel like me. Looking at them inspires me to read more and read better! Most of my books are classics in beautiful editions, illustrated, some bound in silk, some bound in leather and so on. They don't just contain incredible, life-changing stories, but they themselves are physical works of art. Looking at them inspired me to pick up book-binding and painting as hobbies. Seeing them doesn't just give me joy, they also make me recall very fondly the experience of reading them for the first time. Sort of like photographs from a fun day/ trip/ event. My house and my life would be dull without my personal library.
❤️
I feel this in my soul. Thank you for wording it so perfectly ❤
All of this. And rereading books.. I love it. Let me catch all those tiny tiny breadcrumbs throughout the book/series. I find something new every time I read it. Reading a book I've read before is cozy- like covering up in front of the fireplace with a blanket. And books I haven't touched in decades? I go back and read them and it hits differently because of life experience or current circumstance. I have kept essentially every book ever given to me- whether it was "terrible" or not because even the bad ones have taught me something. I just wish I had more time to read now. Or maybe I wished I used my time better so that I could read more.
As a huge reader, the only physical media library I have is classic TV shows on DVD, because they’re frequently not available to stream anywhere. Personally I don’t see any point in keeping most books. Even when I think I wanna hold onto a book for sentimental reasons, I end up giving it away or putting it in a little library eventually. They just don’t serve me. Maybe it’s because I’ve always been poor and lacked storage space. Bookshelves serve me better as working project shelves. I’ve never really had the space to keep things that I’m not using. And as a kids, books weren’t usually things we owned, but rather things we borrowed from the library and from friends. Having lots of books was just never something I cared about or dreamed of. I live the stories, but I honestly just never understood the obsession with owning the physical books after the stories are in me.
I moved so frequently in university that I got tired of hauling my heavy book collection around. I decided to switch to using the library, borrowing, or downloading for an e-reader before ever buying. Even with this method I still have two big heavy boxes of books - and at this point I couldn't imagine having more.
It makes me happy & I like to have physical copies of books I love. I also like to reread them & I annotate pretty heavily so it’s not like I can donate most of them (not like I’d ever want to get rid of my annotated books). I don’t think you have to have a logical reason for it, if it makes you happy keep them!!
The point of any library is to encourage you to learn by reminding you of your ignorance.
My personal library is well within my control. I know what I bought, why I bought it and even when. Buying a few tree-shaped book shelves mean I can store my modest library at basically no cost of physical space in my bed room, instead of a TV. Everything I bought is bought with the goal of rereading, borrowing, or referencing in the future. But then again, if you can't justify your spending, it's time to do some introspection. Why do you have all these books lying around?
I used to keep them but now I trade them in for new books and I do a lot through the library. As I’ve gotten older I just want less stuff in my house.
Getting rid of books? That's like saying goodbye to old friends! Each book holds memories, adventures, and lessons learned. They're like a time capsule of the mind. Besides, who knows when you might want to revisit a beloved story or lend a book to a friend?
Some day, one of my grandkids will pull Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (e.g.) off the shelf on a whim and be changed for the better. Or I might.
Generational wealth. We have 400 years of Family built library. Its distributed between family members. Books in French, English, Hebrew. They cover the whole spectrum of literature, and education. To add to the library the book needs to be able survive 100's of years, no paper back, digital ect.
Are you a vampire hunter?
No, but I have been hunted and chased over the years, you can hide in a book, travel to distant shores, and time. Transform into a different culture, get lost on an adventure. This is why you need a very good constructed book, what if you are hiding in an E-book and the memory chip burns out?
That's really awesome! Would you mind showing us pictures?
In an increasingly digital age, there's a potential risk that AI "could" replace online content and manipulate information. By keeping a personal library of physical books, you have a tangible and reliable source of knowledge that remains unaffected by such possibilities. It provides a sense of security, ensuring that you have access to authentic and unaltered information. A personal library can be a reflection of your interests, a source of inspiration, and a connection to the past. It offers a unique and personal experience that cannot be replicated by digital alternatives.
I reread them all the time. My DH would be an ex if he got rid of my books.
Books are decorative items that I also love reading, or even having around as a reference if I don’t plan to re-read. Asking “why not get rid of books?” is sort of like saying “why not get rid of every piece of wall art in your house?” Technically speaking, there is no reason for my house to be filled with attractive objects that make me happy and fill my mind with enjoyable thoughts and memories. It doesn’t actually do anything. But what sort of house is it, where you don’t keep any objects you love and enjoy, solely because other objects technically have more utility?
The question is why shouldn't I keep the books I've read?
My books make me happy. That is all.
I was someone who only read a few books growing up and the majority of those were mandated by school. I always wanted to read more, but always had a hard time getting into books right away. Now I’m in my 40’s, I’m a Technician who drives all over the place and was going through a devastating divorce and dealing with a lot of craziness in life and then a few years ago after getting a free 3 months of Audible, I started listening to Audio books. That was such a game changer for me and helped me understand myself better in several ways. I’m a slow learner so to speak and being able to listen while I drive helped me stay reading with my ears past the sticking point of which I would normally stop when attempting to read a physical book. Now I listen to audio books AND read physical books and I’m SO happy that I get to experience all these stories and worlds that I missed out on. Every book on my bookcases is a Trophy 🏆to me. I get to look at them and know that “I” did that. “I” accomplished that. It may sound silly, but it means a lot to me. ✌️
I like them. It's an easy way to show friends and guests what kinds of books I enjoy. They smell good. I want to have books in the house for the kids to pick up and read. Books work without electricity.
SHUN THE UNBELIEVER!
I sold/gave away my physical library, and went 100% digital. So glad I did.
She have anything she collects? Most stuff people collect is useless and just for themselves (funko pops, ceramic ducks), personal libraries are also for yourself but are also functional.
Every time when I get home from capitalisming, the world has sapped me of my energy, my joie de vivre, my everything. But when I walk through that door, I'm greeted by my cat and my shelves. For a few hours, I'm happy again.
yes, I see this reaction from those who don’t read a lot or read for practical value. I don’t see it often from those who enjoy reading and read a lot. They just seem to understand. A personal library is good because you can always unplug yourself from your digital world and immediately enter the world of your favorite books. Pick out something that depending on your mood or that catches your eye. Plop down on a chair. Review/re-read your non-fictions. Go through your markings, notes, and whatnot. And then pick out a related book from your library to see how they connect. And then there is just the collectible, nostalgic, adornment aspect of a library: to see all your favorite paper books lined up on the shelves. Some of them have attractive covers and some of them are worn and yellowed - all are deeply personal and valuable. A personal library is an instant snapshot of your interests and history of your thought progression.
If you love books you keep a library of them
Lending, browsing, rereading, decoration.
To remind myself of how little I know, ready access to a wealth of knowledge. Spark curiosity (myself, family and friends) A map of my world of books over time. Ambiance. To revisit a book I read in the past, in full, a chapter, or just a tabbed section.
Not all books I own are ones I've read. Nassim Taleb talks about a concept called "the anti-library", which are the books you own but haven't read. He talks about how our personal libraries are research tools and so all the unread books represents all the things we don't know yet. I quite like this concept, and see my unread books as an intention to keep learning and improving myself. It represents all the things I have yet to discover. As for the read books, I hold onto everything from the past year and then I cull everything but my most favourite books. I hope to be a writer one day so my personal library is a collection of everything that inspires me and can use as reference when I need it. I annotate my books and analyse writing techniques so I tend to buy rather than borrow books. (Plus independent bookshops are dying so I try to support them as much as my means allow)
I read and reread my books all the time. Occasionally a book will vanish for some reason and when I want to read it again I have to buy a new copy. If your girl wants to throw away your books, ask her if she'll pay to buy a new copy every time you want to reread a book.
No clue. I got rid of all the books on my shelves that I don't consider the 'best of the best'. I do like the much smaller library a lot more now.
I only like to keep books I love ( either the story or the memory), ones I want to have to share with others ( favorite book to read with nephews, for example), and books I'm still wanting to read - especially if they were a gift or would be hard to find. ...so I've ended up with a lot of books, but don't buy many now unless it really fits a category above.
Yeah if I don't reread my books then I don't keep them. (Other than ones I'm keeping for my children when they get older) My wife and I combined have a library of around 1000 books. We are avid readers and rereaders. I also haven't discovered a perfect system for following series releases so having book 1 on my shelf will periodically remind me to google and see if book 2 has come out yet. (Or book 3 or 4 or whatever)
I’m not big on re-reading, but being surrounded by the stories that I experienced is comforting. There’s also the joy of having friends over and lending them out or starting a discussion over a book we both loved (or hated haha, though I usually donate those).
Because I like having them Because I re-read books or lend them or give them away
I worked for much of my life (and still work) in order to have a good home library. It's one of my top priorities, and I paid to move the endless boxes of books around every time. I love being surrounded by a mix of the thousands of books I've read and loved, ones I haven't read yet but which await the right mood, and just the aesthetic of the shelves. I use them for reference and teaching, for relaxing, as a resource for my family, etc. I have a book here for any reader, any state of mind, and some comfortable chairs and couches to enjoy them in. Other folks have other hobbies and ways to spend their cash: this is mine.
I have ADHD and autism, so that may impact my reasons. For me personally, I suffer pretty badly from memory issues. Without touchstones like the physical books to draw them out, my memories of the stories can just... Well, not disappear exactly, but go somewhere in my head where they just don't come back unless the perfect combination of stimuli recalls them. That and I love picking up books and flipping through the pages, enjoying the prose snapshots of who I was that flow out.
Giving it to next generation, maybe?
Mari Kondo would say once you’ve read a book you’ve taken in all its content and you’re unlikely to read it again. If you’re not going to use it for decoration then it’s time to let it go. I on the other hand would not say that. Mainly because I’m saving a lot of books for when my kid grows up. There are a LOT of books that I do need to get rid of though.
Its just like collecting coins. Its a hobby. I love to look at my books. Next to that its also pride, look at the books i read.
It's fun.
It looks pretty
>why not just get rid of every book you haven't touched in a year or two? Because I'm not *constantly* reading every single one of my books? Just because I haven't read something in a while doesn't mean I'll never read it again. I bought them, I liked them, I keep them. It's a hobby. Every hobby is "pointless" unless you value the joy it brings you.
I have a room in my house that is perfect for a library, so I keep and display all my books. It I didn’t, I’d probably still keep a bookshelf or two of favorites and ones i will reread.
Well, firstly, not everything has to have a clearly defined functional "point." If your personal library is a hobby of yours, if your books are something that bring you some enjoyment or happiness? This *is* enough "point" right there. Does your partner have hobbies? Does she have artworks, knick knacks, possessions that are sentimental in nature? Does she "collect" anything? The point of your books is the same as any of those. That enjoyment is and always has been the main point for me, but on a practical level - (a) I reread books a lot so owning copies and having them on hand makes sense. (b) It came in extremely handy during the "stay at home" phase of the pandemic. I could go browse and find things to read right in my own home.
It makes me happy.
Sometimes we cherish things even if they have no 'productive' value (whatever that even means) and that's ok. While I do mostly stick to the library for cost effectiveness, I also love looking at my books and remembering how they made me feel, where I was in life when I read them etc.
I like collecting the books I enjoy or are important to me. I do the same for video games. Most of my games are digital because I got them on sale way after releasing, but I’ll still get physical copies for stuff I am really in to
1) I don't want to forget the books I've read. 2) Seeing and even holding books makes me happy. 3) When people visit, I can easily recommend and even lend them my favourites. 4) A bookless house is just not a home. 5) Some day I may have a child, and then all of my collection will be theirs to enjoy.
...to..read....them??
Firstly, it makes me happy. Beyond that, I have a lot of collector editions. I loan the books out to friends and family. (I have an actual loan system) I've also attended a ton of author events and a good portion of my collection is signed. Each book on my shelf is a little adventure that I went on and the books in my collection are all my favorite adventures. The non-fiction books I use for a work. A lot. (I work in publishing) I also re-read a lot of my books. Maybe not all of them every year, but I would be sad if I wanted to re-read Anne of Green Gables only to realize I didn't have it readily available.
If you don’t already know the answer to this question, you never will.
Three reasons:one, I like to collect and show off my collections, also making a great decoration in this case, two, in case I want to reread a book, and three, to act as an actual library of sorts to friends or family or partners who wish to read something I've spoken highly of or that just interests them.
I keep the books that matter to me, not necessarily all of the books I've owned. Some I hope my kids will read. Some I revisit. Some I keep as a reminder of what it taught me. Some are memories. And some I need as reference. If the the book doesn't fall in those categories, I give it away.
About five or so years ago, I had a turning point and went through a great book purge. I decided I had far too many books sitting on my shelf collecting dust, many of them there for no other reason than I thought they made me look smart, or lying to myself that I would actually get around to reading it, or old books from college (I'd graduated about ten years, give or take, before that) that I would never read again (looking at you specifically, *Middlemarch*). My bookcases were overflowing, not pretty to look at, disorganized, and just a mess. I plowed through the stack of TBR not even filed/put away, and went through with an iron fist: I will only allow a book to stay on my shelf if I will re-read it at least twice. There is no timeline on that; I don't re-read Lord of the Rings every year like some, but I will read it again multiple times in the future (I'm 37, I've got a lot of reading years left), so it stays. But if ever I look at a book and say, "No, I won't actually re-read this again." Then it goes. It was incredibly freeing. I've always been good at purging my other possessions as needed, but books were somehow sacred, even if I didn't care much about the individual book. Not anymore. I kind of like anyone who does come over, if they check out my bookshelves, they will see a very tailored selection of me and my tastes in reading (which is, all over the place for the most part). I just did another mini-purge and pulled a whole box (in conjunction with a house-wide purge which was also incredibly freeing and so much organization, I'm in heaven). I now have room to grow on my shelves, because over time there will be more I that meet that criteria. I library as much as I can especially for the first read, because otherwise I'd be buying books to get rid of them after one read. If I get it from the library and fall in love, then I can go buy a copy. That all said, everyone has a different criteria for what makes them happy. I have friends who having bookcases upon bookcases stuffed with books is what they love, and it makes them happy, so they do it. I have friends who have majority switched to Kindle and are happy as clams with their decision. This makes me happy, so I do this. I think the main point is- if it does "spark joy" to use the now-joke colloquial term, then there's nothing wrong with it, but when it doesn't, then just because it's a book doesn't make it special. And whatever sparks joy is incredibly individual.
I moved about a year ago, and had to shed books. I kept the ones that mattered; enough to fill two shelves. I know every title by its spine, and by its weight in my hand, and the memories it brings. There's a few newer titles on the shelf, but each if those has earned it's place.
I always re-read books and I do not like to purchase them again. I also like to look things up in them. Additionally, if I give a recommendation, I like to be able to lend the book out. But, even if those reasons are not enough. The act of reading encodes memories in it. I may read a passage on a beach or camping trip and it brings back memories of the place and of that period in my life.
Ownership. Say a few years down the line you want to re-read something, or you want to give it to someone else so they can read it. If you don’t own it, you either have to re-purchase it (could be expensive, might even be impossible if it’s out of print) or hope that a library near you happens to have it available.
I like it. That's my whole reason, having a personal library brings me a lot of joy
First and foremost, I keep copies of some of my favorite beloved books, because I just like looking at them, as I might like looking at a picture of a friend. They make me smile. Second, I can take one down and dive into a favorite passage whenever I want. Third, I like having books available for guests to look through. Fourth, my collection says something about me to anyone visiting. Fifth, I love the aesthetic and enjoy the cozy nook I have created in my loft with its wall of books.
I keep mine for a few reasons: 1. It makes me happy. Being surrounded by books brings me joy. 2. I love to share my love of reading. I am the person in my family and friend group that has the lending library to share with people. 3. I keep some books simply because they make me feel nostalgic. 4. I am an avid re-reader. Different books showed my different aspects when read at different times of my life. 5. I grew up in a home full of books and it never occurred to me other people didn’t live like that. I also want to make sure my nephews have at least one home in our family they can come to be surrounded by stories. Now, with all of that said, I do not keep books just for the sake of keeping books. They have to fit the criteria above things that are sentimental, things I might reread and things I would lend to friends. If it doesn’t fall into those categories, I donate it to make room for more books that might fit into those categories. I am also an avid library user, I use the library for books I know won’t be permanent in my collection, things I read for book clubs and such.
"I like them." Is sufficient. If you can't afford the space that's a different story.
Because physical books are slowly going away. Some texts are long out of print and becoming harder to find. And digital texts can be altered or amended. And in this increasingly technology oriented age it seems like a decidedly bad and ill conceived idea to let big tech be in control of the digital formats that in the future will be the only source for varying information. Nowadays some older books are even having their text altered in current printings if certain material is deemed problematic in some way. If you have the originals then you can physically open the book up and look at the text that might not even exist anymore in its current presentations. And any dystopian novel that involves literature in some way (Fahrenheit and Brave New World being two of the most prominent examples) rightly notes that the disappearing of books need not be limited in scope, things like Shakespeare and the classic canons will be disappeared just the same as philosophy or theology or science or anything else. If you own the books then you always have physical access to that information.
I went on a bit of a book buying spree in 2021 and early 2022. I keep my own personal library because I like the way it looks on my shelf and it gives me access to books I'm interested in at any time. Of course my shelf also consists of books I've read and really enjoy. The only time I ever consider donating or selling books is if I'm running out of space, I'm moving, or I just don't like it. Especially moving it becomes a calculation of do I like this book or book series enough to box it up and lug it somewhere else. Edit: Also it's worth it to mention that as convenient as e-readers are you can lose your account and all your books in one fell swoop because of bullshit. Then there's nothing you can do about it because you agreed to the terms and conditions for the e-reader which essentially states your "ownership" of the books is temporary and depends on if you remain in good standing with the company.
So you can quote the great Ron Burgundy--"I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany"
I love having them so that I can pass them on to others. There’s a big difference in saying “I have a book recommendation for you” and “I know this book you might like and I have it for you to borrow”. For me it happens more than you think and I love being able to share books I’ve liked with those around me.
This comes up every once and a while. The general thinking is: Its YOUR library. Whats the point of an actual library? To have books you may want to read. I used to feel guilty about having a library of books I haven't read yet. But then someone so eloquently explained to me "thats literally the point of a library". I get if they are all books you've read and you know that you will never ever touch them again - its worth donating them or selling or whatever. But at the end of the day a library doesn't really take up that much room (yes its annoying when you're moving but typically we don't move that often for it to be a problem) and as the top commenter said - it brings you happiness. Keep it until it no longer brings you happiness ;)
I read a lot, but the majority come from the public library. However, if the book really spoke to me, or I've re-read it, I usually buy it. I also have a sizeable comic collection, and those tend to go out of print fast and be hard to find if I want to re-read them.
I live in a pretty rural part of my country and my local library is pretty lacking. The best way to ensure that I can read a large number of books that are exactly the kind of thing I like is to buy them and keep them in my own personal library. For me, it's practical.
Kind of like how a serial killer takes little trophies from their victims. Except in this analogy the serial killer is taking the whole body to keep. Just a little trophy of “yes I read that”.
I enjoy sharing books I love with others.
1: I like having books. I like having physical media in general. Yes, it takes up a lot of space, but so does a lot of stuff that other people keep around their place that I don't. Like, why do some people have so many pairs of shoes? I don't get it. But if they like it, cool. 2: The books people read (or even just buy and don't read) can tell you a lot about them. When I go to somebody's home for the first time, if they've got a big bookshelf, I'm for sure going to see what's up there. It can spark a conversation or maybe a debate! Given that I learn a lot about people from their libraries, I assume my own library tells people a lot about me and can make for a great bonding experience with new people.
Trophies
I read most books w/Kindle or borrow from the library. I only purchase hard copies of books that I have already read and loved, so I view my personal library as a physical representation of my taste, much like a prized record collection or similar.
It's a weird question, I can understand both points and can't explain them. In the end, if you like it and makes you happy, keep it. I still keep some childhood mementos that I don't and won't use ever again. I grew up with grandparents with massive personal libraries, I don't know what to do with them once they are dead and if I inherit it. But it was their pride and joy and they really loved reading and caring for books. Me, I do like book covers, but I don't like reading things again, or when books inevitably get damaged in the backpack or just by opening. And after 2-3 very heavy house moves, I found it pointless to keep books - and so I have moved fully digital with my Kobo, also physical living space is getting more and more expensive, so even having a bookcase is more expensive (space and money) than it was generations ago, let alone having 2 or 3 mostly useless mastodons in small flats. It works for me and I don't regret it, I'm just trying to keep minimalistic and reduce physical space and goods.
A small but specialized group of books are part of my soul. There’s been rotations but I can’t live without a personal library. How can you live with out them is a better question to me.
Joy. Joy is the point. They make me happy.
I don’t want to sound like a poser reader, but for me it’s just true, that books I love to read are also big part of my personality. Mostly fiction, lot of fantasy and obscure sci-fi gems… Im a lot about magic, wizardry and the arcane. One look at that bookshelf reminds me of who I am.
I hoarde books like a gluttonous dragon because I'm mostly greedy and collecting tomes sparks joy-- but also the political climate is changing, driven by religious fanatics. (They tried to sue B&N in Virginia to make them stop selling certain types of books on obscenity charges) I don't trust that the books I love will always be available, digital or physical otherwise. I'd love it if I were just being paranoid but when school/public libraries are removing any and all books related to lgbtq, racial topics, gender studies, or just anything that is critical of my country's history... I don't think I can be too careful.