We have too many books. Or we have too little space. Either way, it’s a problem.
We could get rid of some books. Actually, we already do. We donate some to charity every year, but we also continue to acquire new books. There seem to be more coming in than going out. I don’t know if I can part with enough of them to really improve the situation.
Alternatively, we could rent a storage unit, but that’s an expensive option that puts physical distance between me an my books. I don’t want to pursue that course of action unless it’s absolutely necessary.
I believe the solution to the problem lies in the answer to this question: what am I trying to achieve with my personal library? A library can serve many purposes. It can be a monument to taste or a demonstration of wealth. It can allow you to keep your favorites nearby. It can fill your need to collect something, to complete something.
Some books I need for reference. Fine. Some books I love; they are my friends and I want them nearby. Fine. But what if a book is…
- In some way memorable but not particularly good?
- Written by a favorite author or part of a favorite series but not particularly good?
- Good but not great?
- Great but the edition itself is poor, either because it’s a softcover reprint with little intrinsic monetary value or because it’s in bad condition?
- Potentially useful someday but not needed now?
One question magically became five and I bet that there are more questions lurking in there. As someone once said, “Inside of every small problem is a larger one struggling to get out.”
I’m going to think about this some more. If you have any thoughts on this subject, feel free to share!