16 ms·

Head over to r/bookshelfdetective and you'll see a bunch of folks hyped to share their libraries with the world. Maybe such folk are a dwindling but more vocal

Head over to r/bookshelfdetective and you'll see a bunch of folks hyped to share their libraries with the world. Maybe such folk are a dwindling but more vocal crowd. Maybe not. Numbers aside, this line makes me think OP is missing the point: > I bought the book because I like having a visual, tangible record of the time this book and I spent together. I like scanning my shelves and seeing proof of a rich reading life. If this is why you have books (I've heard them called "audiobook-trophies" or "kindle-trophies"), you're missing out on what a library can do for you. A library kept in OP's way shows how many books he's got through. What matters his how many books get through him. The proof of a good reading life is inside you. It's not furniture for your living room. What is a good library then if not a trophy case? It's got books that you go back to again and again. It's got books you've not read yet but whose spines reminds you of gaps in what you know. It's aimed at the long-term, a collection of pages whose text will never reflow or get a pushed update. It's markings won't change, letting you have a talk with your older self. I have many audiobooks and ebooks, and they're better at some things than physical books. Still, what a hard drive can't do what a personal library can.

Aeolun 2y ago
I think there are as many opinions on what makes a good library as there are people. There isn’t just one answer.
- bluGill 2y ago
  Just make sure you know what it is for you and don't mess with someone else's. My sister in law and wife organized my bookshelf by color and size ones - it looks much better than way I'll admit, but now fiction and non fiction are mixed, and sets of books are not together, and so for what I care about it was worse.
- loughnane 2y ago
  Good point. It seems the question is what are they trying to accomplish with the library? OP knows what he's trying to do (remind himself of past books and evidence of reading life), and yet he feels disenchanted if I read the tone right. If that's the case it's a tacit admission that he _wanted_ the wrong thing and could learn to want something better. That's not a big deal, part of growing is learning to like the things that bring you the most fulfillment. I can't tell him what's best, all I can tell him is what I think is more likely to bring fulfillment and my reasoning. I'd love to hear other opinions on what's good and why.

Aeolun 2y ago

I think there are as many opinions on what makes a good library as there are people. There isn’t just one answer.

bluGill 2y ago
Just make sure you know what it is for you and don't mess with someone else's. My sister in law and wife organized my bookshelf by color and size ones - it looks much better than way I'll admit, but now fiction and non fiction are mixed, and sets of books are not together, and so for what I care about it was worse.
loughnane 2y ago
Good point. It seems the question is what are they trying to accomplish with the library? OP knows what he's trying to do (remind himself of past books and evidence of reading life), and yet he feels disenchanted if I read the tone right. If that's the case it's a tacit admission that he _wanted_ the wrong thing and could learn to want something better. That's not a big deal, part of growing is learning to like the things that bring you the most fulfillment. I can't tell him what's best, all I can tell him is what I think is more likely to bring fulfillment and my reasoning. I'd love to hear other opinions on what's good and why.