How does Your Bookshelf Grow?

[Katrina1968]

So, do you keep a running log of your books, do you keep them in any order, and how many do you have?

 

Last night I was doing a rambling walk through my books and found that my main bookshelf was in need of a little rearranging so I pulled the books off the self and did a quick sort of them. I got up this morning and put them in their respective places.

 

My top shelf contains my bibles and inspirational books. My second book contains my favorite authors of African American and Native American books. My third shelf contains my scifi and series books. My third shelf contains my classics.

 

My second bookshelf contains more classic books that are related to school. It also houses my Tolkien, Lewis and Rowling books. To include their biographies. I also have a shelf dedicated to Black history. The last shelf contains the rest of my classics to include old literature text books from when my 83 year old auntie was in high school!

 

Bookshelf number 3 is in our bedroom. It houses local history, reference books and more inspirational books and my comics (For Better For Worse and Cathy ) I keep these close to my desk.

 

Bookshelf number 4 is in the kids den. It holds all of their books, Harry Potter, etc, old school books and HighLite magazines and of course the young adult classics.

 

And FINALLY the 5th bookshelf belongs to the grands. Here is where I keep all the books I want to hand down to them.

 

Can you tell I love books?

[Kylie]

And FINALLY the 5th bookshelf belongs to the grands. Here is where I keep all the books I want to hand down to them.

 

Aw, that's lovely.

 

I keep track of all my books in my reading log here, on Goodreads and LibraryThing, and an Excel spreadsheet (which is pretty out of date - I may discontinue it). I like lists.

 

I have a dedicated room that I call my library. I have half a dozen large and small bookcases that mostly contain my non-fiction books. They're arranged alphabetically by author surname, although I've made two separate shelves for my dystopian books.

 

In one of the larger bookcases I have one overflowing shelf of general non-fiction and one shelf for books on language and editing. I also have two shelves there for my BSC and Trixie Belden books.

 

Downstairs I have a large bookcase which holds all my Beatles books and other reference books including cookbooks, travel and mosaics.

 

When I get around to tidying up my library a little, I'll post some updated pics in the 'Show Your Bookcase' thread.

 

I'm always dreaming up ideas for utilising my space to hold more books.

 

I currently have just over 600 books on my TBR pile. I would like to point out that I bought only 1 book last month, and that book is a collection of stories I already have in another volume, so it doesn't even count.

[Katrina1968]

You just reminded me that I forgot to mention my bookshelf in my kitchen:lol: Recipe books, natural healing and herbs!

[elindson]

I'm so unorganized with my shelves. I keep all of my books by the same author in a row but by date of published. My random author books I keep by color lol. Red, blue, green. I like it looking like a rainbow.

[pontalba]

I did have my books in some semblance of order, for a while. I had some built in book shelves put in the small study/computer room and that helped tremendously. There is one free standing bookshelf in there, primarily dedicated to science fiction. I also had shelves built into a hall coat closet. I had the books sorted out in general subject order, authors grouped etc. In the hallway downstairs we have 4 tall and one short bookcases, sorted out in History, Spies, certain authors. In the upstairs hall there are 3 short bookcases with miscellaneous books, gardening etc. In the kitchen there is one tall bookcase with all the cookbooks, some gardening and then the health/nutritional books. In the dining room there are 3 short bookcases with miscellaneous books, and a tallish glassed in bookshelf with some of my great-grandfather's books. In the sitting room adjacent to the bedroom we have two short bookcases, one with DVD's and one with books, and a tall bookcase as well. Pictures on my profile page.

 

Anyhow, it's a losing battle to keep them organized in any real manner. For us at least. I hope we never move. /shudder/

[chesilbeach]

... an Excel spreadsheet (which is pretty out of date - I may discontinue it). I like lists.

 

Me too! I keep one spreadsheet for every year, but I also have a database where I keep details of all the books I've read since 2006 when I really started reading properly again.

 

My books themselves are in no particular order on the bookshelves (I'd need a full time librarian for that!), but I do have (currently) two shelves for by TBR books - I'm trying to reduce that to one shelf and eventually, one bit of one shelf, but I can't see that ever happening!

[Talisman]

I don't keep my fiction titles in any particular order, but I do with non fiction. They are arranged in genre and author, although I haven't gone as far as actually listing them all ! If I started to do that I would never get anything else done !

[frankie]

And FINALLY the 5th bookshelf belongs to the grands. Here is where I keep all the books I want to hand down to them.

 

By grands do you mean grandchildren? That's so sweet I also have a book or two that I'm holding out for my Grandson and his little sister when they grow up

 

I love this thread, it's so exciting to read how others have arranged their bookshelves and how they plan to expand their 'libraries'

 

I bought my first bookshelf maybe 10 years ago, and at that time the top shelf included my various dictionaries and The Study of Language by George Yule and Ways of Reading: Advanced Reading Skills for Students of English Literature by Montgomery, Durant, Fabb etc. Anything that was related to my uni studies. The other four shelves housed my other (rather few by comparison to nowadays) novels, mainly classics that I'd bought or the novels I'd bought for my various literature courses. There was also room for my CDs and VHS video tapes. To think that I didn't have enough books to fill a bookcase back then

 

Nowadays that bookshelf is crammed up with novels. I've taken the dictionaries and the sort and have put them in a closet. Now the bookshelf is completely filled with recreational reading. On the topshelf there are biographies and other interesting non-fiction + the novels that seem the most interesting, can't-wait-to-get-to-these -kind of books. The second shelf is for classics, the third is about childrens' + YA lit and misc lit, the fourth is chick lit + books containing animal characters + Twilight series and a few misc reads, and the fifth, the largest shelf, is about fantasy, King novels, thrillers, and some war stories.

 

Last year when I went on a crazy shopping spree for books (all year round), I had to empty my underwear drawer and fill it with books, Rory Gilmore -style. One shelf is dedicated to thrillers, second to epic kind of family histories, Stephen Fry books and Cornelia Funke's Inkheart -trilogy (still unfortunately lacking the third novel). The third is for Gilmore Girls -novels, Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series, misc novels and my Swedish paperbacks, and the last one is for Ken Follett, The Magicians' Guild, Terry Pratchett and Adrian Mole series.

 

This year I've had to branch out to containing some novels in cardboard boxes, three of them Fortunately I got my dowstairs neighbor's drawer to put the TV and digibox on, and there was still room for 4 rows of books. I managed to put all the books from the cardboard boxes in it! There are misc novels and at least 15 Rory Gilmore reading challenge novels that I've managed to collect in the past 6 months or so.

 

(I'd like to add that my bookcase is quite deep and on each shelf I have two rows of books. Otherwise there'd be no room!)

 

PS. I could never arrange my books by author and title (in alphabetical order) because the books come in various shapes and sizes and I need to utilise the space in the bookshelves in the best possible way. I arrange books within a genre according to size so I can stack up some books on top of them and so on. I'd love to do the color-coordinated bookshelves theme some day, but I need to have at least one or two more bookshelves for that!

Edited June 2, 2010 by frankie

[Kylie]

Last year when I went on a crazy shopping spree for books (all year round), I had to empty my underwear drawer and fill it with books, Rory Gilmore -style.

 

I still think this is so cool. Hmm, I reckon I could squish up all the clothes in my drawers and make one drawer (the top one of course) into a book drawer.

 

Stephen Fry books and Cornelia Funke's Inkheart -trilogy (still unfortunately lacking the third novel).

 

How many Stephen Fry books do you have? I don't have any but I'd like to read something by him one day. He's an awesome person.

 

This year I've had to branch out to containing some novels in cardboard boxes, three of them Fortunately I got my dowstairs neighbor's drawer to put the TV and digibox on, and there was still room for 4 rows of books. I managed to put all the books from the cardboard boxes in it!

 

I'm so glad you have more room for your books! I have a couple of boxes full of books too. They're currently sitting on the floor of the library. Some of them I want to keep and others I don't.

 

PS. I could never arrange my books by author and title (in alphabetical order) because the books come in various shapes and sizes and I need to utilise the space in the bookshelves in the best possible way. I arrange books within a genre according to size so I can stack up some books on top of them and so on. I'd love to do the color-coordinated bookshelves theme some day, but I need to have at least one or two more bookshelves for that!

 

There are so many different ways I want to arrange my books, and every time this type of discussion comes up my fingers start itching to go and change everything. But I just can't make a decision!

[frankie]

I still think this is so cool. Hmm, I reckon I could squish up all the clothes in my drawers and make one drawer (the top one of course) into a book drawer.

 

I don't mind saying it's very cool myself, because that isn't bragging since I'm only copying Rory Gilmore who had the original idea You could at least try it out? You can always switch it back if it doesn't work out for you for some reason or another. The drawer system is so cool and handy, the only problem I have with it is that the books are hidden (maybe I should look into glass drawers ) and only paperbacks fit in it.

 

How many Stephen Fry books do you have? I don't have any but I'd like to read something by him one day. He's an awesome person.

 

I'm a bit ashamed, I actually had to check this out because I wasn't sure. I have The Hippopotamus and The Liar, and his autobiographical Moab Is My Washpot. I thought I only had two of the titles, I don't remember buying The Liar. I haven't read any of them, though.

 

I'm so glad you have more room for your books! I have a couple of boxes full of books too. They're currently sitting on the floor of the library. Some of them I want to keep and others I don't.

 

In a way, it's so pitiful for the books to be held in boxes, but on the other hand I quite liked it, because it was easy to buy more and just stuff them in the boxes I'm glad to be rid of the boxes in any case, they were not pretty to look at, even knowing they contained books. I absolutely love my new TV-tablethingy and the books that are on its shelves, it makes the place more lively

 

There are so many different ways I want to arrange my books, and every time this type of discussion comes up my fingers start itching to go and change everything. But I just can't make a decision!

 

I agree! But then again, if I started making any major changes I'd have less space and it would take forever for me to be content with a new kind of order. I so envy you having a whole library to yourself, I would think you had no problems switching things up when you wanted. But I guess the actual decision making is the most difficult for you. But, who says you have to stick to the new regime for ages? If it doesn't please you, you can change it accorging to another idea next week!

[Kylie]

I thought I only had two of the titles, I don't remember buying The Liar. I haven't read any of them, though.

 

That's usually a sign that you've been buying too many books.

 

If it doesn't please you, you can change it accorging to another idea next week!

 

That's exactly what I'm afraid of: that once I start reorganising I won't be able to stop. Not because I don't like reorganising them, but because I love it so much it will take up all my spare time.

 

Hmm, I think I'm going to go up and have a look at them now, and see what inspiration hits me...

[frankie]

That's usually a sign that you've been buying too many books.

 

Njaah, that can't be it... There's no such thing as buying too many books!

 

That's exactly what I'm afraid of: that once I start reorganising I won't be able to stop. Not because I don't like reorganising them, but because I love it so much it will take up all my spare time.

 

Haha, I fully understand There's nothing wrong with a little experimentation though If we won't be seeing you at all in the next couple of weeks, I'll send out search parties for you!

 

Let us hear what you came up with!

[poppyshake]

The one small bookcase that I've got in my living room only holds about sixty books, and they're all favourites. If I read a book and I love it, it goes on this bookcase, sometimes I have to relegate a book to make room for another (sad times! I can feel the book weeping in shame as I take it towards the stairs).

 

I've got several more in this upstairs room .. laughingly called 'the computer room'. Right in front of me on the wall behind the computer is a three tier bookshelf. It's got books on it that are on my TBR pile, they sit there screaming at me, especially when I come home from the library with another pile. As I look up I can see Rapture, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Robe of Skulls, The Sea, Possession, Crime and Punishment, The Lovely Bones, and Fingersmith amongst others all waiting to be read.

Also in this room is an old glass fronted cabinet full of books .. mostly one's that are too big to fit on the shelves or hardbacks. Or books that I liked a lot but not enough to place them on the holy grail of bookshelves downstairs.

Behind me is a large bookcase full of reference books and cookery books.

The windowsill in here is piled high with library books, I daren't put them anywhere else incase they get lost in the mix.

The cubby holes underneath the desk, which are meant for paper etc are stuffed full of charity shop books (one's I've bought rather than one's to go).

 

I've got several cardboard boxes of books in my wardrobe, mostly books yet to be read.

 

There's a little bookcase in the loo full of puffin classics.

 

There's a trillion boxes in the loft, full of mostly penguin classics that have not been unpacked since we temporarily moved here four years ago

 

I'm always looking for ways to put more bookcases/shelves into rooms. We are trying to sell the house (and have been for ages) and so it's difficult. I don't want to clutter up the place and yet if we're destined to stay here then I want to display books. There's a dressing table and mirror thingy in our main bedroom and I never use it, I always use the bathroom mirror for putting make-up on etc and I keep thinking a large bookcase will look just as nice there and maybe I can put a couple of wicker baskets on it to put the make up and hair bits in etc (when I say hair bits I mean scrunchies and bands etc .. not toup

[Pixie]

I try to keep my bookshelves in some kind of order by author and size of the books, but it's difficult to stick to it because I can't fit all of the books I own on the shelves.

[Kreader]

I don't collect much books. Having said that I have 3 study shelves, 2 art & craft shelves, 1 shelf for books (mosly fiction) I'd swap/lend/sell/give away and 1 shelf with cookery, DIY books, albums and a few yoga/excercise books. I mostly borrow my books or don't keep them for long so I don't have to do the hated job of dusting much. Most of my shelves are built in the alcoves in my walls and they are deep so they can store a lot. I'm proud of them as I put them up myself.

[lauraloves]

i recently sorted out my books. i have them all in my room on five shelves.

 

i have harry potter books on the first shelf and then it then all starts with my tbr books. this runs all the way through four of the five shelves:blush: oops.

 

ive ordered more books so i really dont know if i should clear another shelf.

 

on the fifth there are all classic childrens books that belonged to my mum, famous five, secret seven etc.

[Ooshie]

My Folio Society books are in two tall bookcases, and I have custom-built shelves (thank you hubby!) covering one wall of the large-ish upstairs landing that has series and authors that I collect. My bedroom has seven short bookcases which have random books I have read, and also some TBR. The living room has the shelved part of a large dresser with all sorts of books including some reference books. The upper part of the hall has a short, wide bookcase with mostly reference books as well as some TBR, and in the lower part of the hall there is also a glass-topped ex-display unit from a shop with a mixture of books on all the shelves. The kitchen has two shelves of recipe books. My treatment room has a small bookcase with books on complementary therapies. My son's bedroom has a bookcase with some reference books and science fiction (mostly Philip K Dick) and a few Folio books (well, I had to start him early!). There are also random piles of books in the living room, my bedroom and the upstairs landing (the pile next to my computer desk has 23 books that I have read in it). I think that's all! Oh, no it's not, I just remembered another medium bookshelf on the upstairs landing and books in cardboard boxes in two roof space cupboards, children's books from my childhood and my sons!

 

I don't have the nerve to start organising!

[Guest Eliza1]

Not sure I have enough books to warrant a spreadsheet or anything like that (wish I did). I have about three hundred I think, half of them with me where I live now, and the other half are divided between my parents pantry/cuboard/library sort of room, (doesn't really have a name) and the unknown. I don't keep them in order at all either and they get dusty and crinkly.

[BookJumper]

I'm sure there used to be a similar thread because I clearly remember expounding my filing system for paragraphs on end but, even the Mod in me can't find it, so here goes again - the condensed version:

Big bookcase, from the top, left to right

 

1st shelf: Fantasy & horror

2nd shelf: General fiction and more fantasy & horror

3rd shelf: Dictionaries & books on writing

4th shelf: Old uni books (Philosophy, English Lit, Shakespeare, Translation Studies)

5th shelf: [DVDs], poetry and cookbooks

6th shelf: Beatles & general music books

Small bookcase, from the top, left to right

 

1st shelf: Graphic Novels, large hardbacks and limited editions

2nd shelf: notebooks alongside smaller hardbacks

[3rd shelf: DVDs and OH's games]

 

ETA: I don't even want to recollect the state my shelves are at my parents', my Mum's pretty much turned my room into her workshop so all my books are unsorted and double parked *has a panic attack at the very thought*!

 

I don't currently have a list going but I should, really hmmm, what method to use? Spreadsheet, notebook, both? Decisions, decisions.

Edited June 6, 2010 by BookJumper

[vinay87]

Hmn, let's plagiarise Guilia's format, seems easier than my previously connived paragraph format that no one's going to read.

 

I have 2 bookshelves out of which one contains fiction and the other contains my engineering books which will be cleared out soon, I hope.

 

So my fiction shelf:

 

1st shelf: Tolkien and Robert Jordan at the front; Terry Goodkind, safely hidden from view at the back.

2nd shelf: Classics biggies at the front ( Herodotus, Thucydides, Dickens, Dumas, Hugo, Homer, Cervantes) more classics at the back (Robin Hood, HG Wells and some others)

3rd shelf: Penguin popular classics, Bantam classics at the front along with Chaucer and Milton, Terry brooks and David/Leigh Eddings at the back.

4th shelf: Misc books. Agatha Christie, Alistair Maclean, PG Wodehouse, Stephen King, Grisham, Jeffrey Archer and Shakespeare.

 

I use LibraryThing, it's really awesome but the limit for 200 books blows. So we make 2 lists

[pickle]

I am not even going to strart to sort out my book shelves I have been thinking of going to Ikea and getting one of their large shelves, at present I have books doubled up on shelves in piles next to shelves by the bed, on the windowsill, in the kitchen in fact pretty much every room in my house has books in it, in total i have 6 book shelves and a number of piles, yes it does make searching for a particular book difficult, but on the up side I sometimes re-discover on I might want to re-read. I have no catalouging system though, one day when its raining I might get round to sorting them all out but I don't hold out any hope.

[AbielleRose]

I'm sure there used to be a similar thread because I clearly remember expounding my filing system for paragraphs on end but, even the Mod in me can't find it, so here goes again - the condensed version:

 

Is this the thread you were thinking of? Show your bookshelf

 

At the moment there really isn't any rhyme or reason to my book collection as I don't have an actual bookshelf. I have most of them lined up along the windowsill, a pile next to my bed, a few that I'm reading lined up on my bed and a few random piles on the coffee and end tables.

[BookJumper]

Is this the thread you were thinking of?

Alas no, it was a General Book Discussions thread on shelf organisation which seems to have vanished into thin air...! Oh well. I did try.

[Kylie]

I remember it too Giulia, because I remember that's where I found out how you catalogued your Beatles books.

[AbielleRose]

I remember it too Giulia, because I remember that's where I found out how you catalogued your Beatles books.

 

You guys catalogue your Beatles books? Please share! I'd love that!