4 ms·

Right. Especially mass-market paperback fiction and the like. If the book is rare, or has deep sentimental value, keep it or pass it on to someone who will enjo

by beat 8y ago

Right. Especially mass-market paperback fiction and the like. If the book is rare, or has deep sentimental value, keep it or pass it on to someone who will enjoy it. But "because I may read it (or read it again) someday" is not a good reason to keep them. And not every book needs to be donated or resold. If you don't want it, chances are very few others want it either.

JohnFen 8y ago
> If you don't want it, chances are very few others want it either. I don't think this is a good benchmark at all. It's a natural human tendency to think that we each are representative of "most people", but that's very often not actually true. I prefer to donate unwanted books to the library, thrift shop, or used book store. Those organizations are in a better place to judge what most people want and what they don't.
- Tomte 8y ago
  My experience is "if I wanted it, nobody else will". Lisp in Small Pieces. Sure, here on HN many people would be interested in it. In a smallish town, even though there's a technical branch of a nearby university? Forget about it. English books? The library isn't interested (for good reason, they have limited shelf-space and very little demand for English books, there are two shelfs of English fiction and that's it). And even university libraries. I once asked them to buy Compiling with Continuations by Apple. A real classic. No, they won't. Too old, they won't spend money on that. Especially since it's available in several libraries throughout Germany. I am certain they would have zero interest in most of the computer science and programming books on my shelf.
  - JohnFen 8y ago
    One of the very nice things that libraries (both public and university) can do is to make use of the interlibrary loan system. A surprising number of people don't know this exists. Through it, you can borrow books from any library that is part of the system, which is almost all of them -- so even very specialized or obscure books that your local library won't carry can be ordered through them for borrowing.
  - daly 8y ago
    I have Appel's book. I love the fact that I can get very expensive books "second hand". The same information without the high cost. Appel doesn't get paid but I know from my experience with publishers that tech books almost never make money. 3000 copies puts a book in the top 1%. Carnegie Mellon teaches a compiler course using continuations so I'm not sure what's "old" about it.

by beat 8y ago

JohnFen 8y ago

> If you don't want it, chances are very few others want it either. I don't think this is a good benchmark at all. It's a natural human tendency to think that we each are representative of "most people", but that's very often not actually true. I prefer to donate unwanted books to the library, thrift shop, or used book store. Those organizations are in a better place to judge what most people want and what they don't.

Tomte 8y ago
My experience is "if I wanted it, nobody else will". Lisp in Small Pieces. Sure, here on HN many people would be interested in it. In a smallish town, even though there's a technical branch of a nearby university? Forget about it. English books? The library isn't interested (for good reason, they have limited shelf-space and very little demand for English books, there are two shelfs of English fiction and that's it). And even university libraries. I once asked them to buy Compiling with Continuations by Apple. A real classic. No, they won't. Too old, they won't spend money on that. Especially since it's available in several libraries throughout Germany. I am certain they would have zero interest in most of the computer science and programming books on my shelf.
- JohnFen 8y ago
  One of the very nice things that libraries (both public and university) can do is to make use of the interlibrary loan system. A surprising number of people don't know this exists. Through it, you can borrow books from any library that is part of the system, which is almost all of them -- so even very specialized or obscure books that your local library won't carry can be ordered through them for borrowing.
- daly 8y ago
  I have Appel's book. I love the fact that I can get very expensive books "second hand". The same information without the high cost. Appel doesn't get paid but I know from my experience with publishers that tech books almost never make money. 3000 copies puts a book in the top 1%. Carnegie Mellon teaches a compiler course using continuations so I'm not sure what's "old" about it.