Well, why didn’t you say so?! My apologies!
Books and bookshelves have overtaken my house, so I envy your courage, Hal Briston.
I really need to do this. I have text books (as if I would ever even care enough to re-open the cover), a full encyclopedia set from 1968 (why the hell do I still have this?) and various scifi/fantasy novels that I just cannot read any more. I am going to swing by the library on my way home and look for some books to read that others (in cafe society) have suggested, and try to quit being a compulsive buyer. Except for Stephen King - I must own his books. Its a compulsion.
Every so often I try to thin my collection. I estimate I have maybe 2000 books. I have never managed to get rid of more than 10 at a time except for the one time I sold a whole set of Time Life WWII books. That was 39 volumes.
And all the time I’m taking in more books.
I think I’m a hoarder as far as books are concerned. When I try to pick out those to give away, (certainly, I would never throw them away!) it doesn’t take long to get a nervous and sick feeling, and I have to stop.
Oddly, I give books to friends occasionally with no problems at all. It’s just doing it to intentionally lessen my book stash that is a problem.
I’m glad this compulsion is limited to hoarding books. If it were not, I’d be featured on one of those hoarder reality shows.
I’ve been purging my very large pile of books. I still have a bunch to get rid of though.
[quote=“Cat_Whisperer, post:20, topic:525079”]
My husband has Irish roots, and he says that because the Irish saved literacy, he should never, ever part with a book. It’s cultural, don’t you know. 
[QUOTE]
St. Ciaran (founder of Cluain Mhic Nois) was a member of my family.
And I’m not a hoarder, I’m a Bibliophile. Get it straight. . . .
Just to give some perspective on my book hoarding level, I currently have over 500 unread books unpacked and on shelves. I have at least that many books that I’ve already read unpacked and shelved. There are still at least 60-70 boxes of books, mostly read, which I haven’t unpacked yet because I need to get more bookcases.
:dubious: How you doin’? 
LOL!
Books are about the only thing that I ‘hoard’. Everything else is fairly clutter free, but even then I probably only have about 200 books. I have a belief that I won’t consider prices or budgets when buying books, fruits, and veggies. But even then, I read a lot and would rather just go to the library since I go through them so fast.
For those that have massive amounts of books…Why not just use the library?
A few reasons:
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My tastes aren’t really mainstream, for the most part. I don’t tend to read the latest bestsellers.
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I’m not very organized, and tend to lose stuff. If I lose a book that I own, no biggie, it’ll turn up eventually. If I lose a library book, there are fines.
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I’m a re-reader.
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To read a library book, I have to go out twice, once to check out the book, once to return it. To buy a book, I have to go out once at most, not even that if I buy it on Amazon. I don’t like driving and tend to prefer staying home to going out.
For me, buying books is the major luxury I afford myself. I’m a major re-reader, too. Plus, I hate the notion of being responsible for someone elses’ property, having to return it on time, etc.
My dream for the last few years is to have a really nice library room. Right now, I have 4 Ikea shelves, I book cabinet, and 2 sets of shelves I made a few years ago. Not really enough space at all. What I want is a purpose built library room, with built-in wooden shelves nicely carved, and a skylight. It’s do-able over the next couple of years …
First time I’ve gotten that response to a post.
The usual reasons. I’m a re-reader, and I never know what I might have a taste for reading in the future so I’m reluctant to let go of a book I liked reading the first time. I don’t drive, so getting to and from the library is just enough of a hassle that I don’t do it that often.
I do both. I use the library a lot for light reading. But I tend to buy the history books I read (to re-read and to reference). I have also in the past checked out SciFi books from the library, and liked them enough to go out and buy my own copy of that book and others by the same author.
The one that really gets me though is the weedout shelf at the library. Books that they are removing from their collection and selling off for 50¢. I get the double whammy of “They won’t have it any more” and “I’m supporting the library”.
This, especially #1. My favorite genre is science fiction and fantasy. But I’m PICKY. The librarian in charge of aquisitions does his best, but he knows that there are a LOT of people who will read Anne Rice and Robert Jordan, whereas people who want to read something with a bit more meat on it are rarer. So he buys Anne Rice and Robert Jordan, and he is making the correct decision for the library and the majority of its patrons. I can’t fault him for this. Also, the library’s collection of a series will sometimes be missing a volume or two here and there. I don’t mean that the books aren’t on the shelf (though that happens too), I mean that maybe the librarian didn’t order the first volume, or someone lost the third book in the series, or that fourth book got damaged. I’m not blaming the librarian, it’s a hard job to guess which books will catch the fancy of various patrons, but usually the library has a pretty poor selection of sf/fantasy books that I want to read. Since I can find a gazillion OTHER books in mystery or general fiction or a wide variety of nonfiction, I always come out of the library happy. But…
#3. I’m a re-reader. I have literally worn out copies of some of my favorite books. If I want to read The Gate to Women’s Country again, I’ll dig my copy out of storage. The library doesn’t have it, and even if it did, the library isn’t open at 2 AM.
I enjoy the library. And yes, I know about ILL, and sometimes use it. But I am also very attached to my own copies of the books I love best. I’ve been purging (yeah, I used to read Dragonlance, too, but not lately) but I do have my core of favorites.
I am trying to pare down too in preparation for a cross-country move. I am using half.com as much as possible: like eBay, but they reimburse you for the shipping!
The only problem is, when you’re there to sell, it’s very easy to browse a little…
I got about $38 from Powell’s for 70 books. They will get a good home.
What I hate is picking out a book and flashing in my memory to the ending (happens with Agatha Chrisitie’s) and having to find another @2am. And it happens for the next three I place my hand on. :c
I love my Barnes & Noble E-reader on my IPhone. It is back lit and has a couple of white-on-black night settings that make reading in the dark in bed absolutely possible. My husband REALLY loves that feature.
Same here. I did a pretty drastic purge of my own books, but still have hundreds of my husband’s books. We didn’t share taste in books for the most part, so they are on their way out.
I keep my books in the library, the public library.
I go to the library at least once a month and I still have about 10,000 books in the house. This is after donating and selling at about seven boxes worth. I used to have a very long commute so I’d allow myself the luxury of buying used books twice a month.
The very best part was the time I found a library that was being shut down because they were remodeling it. They were holding the library book sale to end all library book sales. We walked out of there with about 300 books at five cents each.
I agree with Anna Quindlen that decorating largely consists of building enough bookshelves.
Do you find it harder to throw out/give away hardbacks? I generally buy paperback. I have some hardbacks that would be difficult to part with. Especially my Dick Francis collection. I got the UK pressings published by Michael Joseph. I wanted the real English version. Not an American version that may have been Americanized.
I’ve always heard Agatha Christie was changed. Especially any slang. I thought maybe they did the same to Dick Francis.
I tend to move around a lot, and pare down books regularly <sometimes ditching them all>. I love my books…love 'em, re-read them, gotta have them…but we’re at a wonderful point in technological time where I can replace almost anything I have. I genuinely prefer paperbacks over hardcover, and am more than happy to re-purchase any of my favorites, and make the authors happy.