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This is PART TWO of the PERSONAL LIBRARY GUIDE

Return to: CONTENTS PAGE
Skip back to: THE BOOKS IN YOUR LIFE
Skip forward to: SAFETY & HEALTH IN THE LIBRARY


A library is not just a space occupied by books. What actually creates a library is the combination of books and systems for managing them, and most of all people who look after them and utilise them. With the advent of networked computer technology libraries are no longer bound by four walls, and even the definition of a book has changed. The focus of this Guide is on the personal space, the library in the home, and the particular needs and opportunities it creates. The aim of this Guide is to assist you in addressing those needs and expanding those opportunities, by drawing together and presenting the experience and reflections of LibraryThing members.


Contents

[edit] The definition of a personal library

"all those rooms, too humble to be called libraries, where the pursuit of reading is carried on by private people" Virginia Woolf

The word 'library' tends to bring to mind an image of buildings holding thousands of books. So to call our personal book collection a 'library' might seem a little vain. But I believe we are entitled to take some pride in them. After all, most institutional libraries started out with donations from personal libraries. And it's not just history that reminds us of the importance of personal libraries. We can surmise (based on book sales) that they're as important as all of the institutional libraries put together in terms of works held and people exposed to them.

The real distinction between libraries in the home and Institutional Libraries is however, not in their size or how they're accommodated. It's an issue of ownership and management. Institutional Libraries use procedures to regulate their operation, and are organised to facilitate research and borrowing and to ensure inter-operability with other institutional libraries. All of this is achieved by employing staff trained in a certain way of doing things to a certain standard. And there is a rich literature on how these people are trained and how things should be done, all in the context of an Institutional Library.

But each owner-operator of a library in their own home makes their own choices about how things are done. There is no standard to achieve, there is no qualification that the owner-operator needs hold. The operation of a library in the home comes down to a matter of personal style, and personal choice. For this reason, and because this is the thing that fundamentally distinguishes this type of library from all others, I recommend and use the term 'Personal Library' to describe this type of library.

It's true that personal libraries are often referred toas private libraries. This notwithstanding that many personal libraries were historically open to members of the public. I'd argue that the use of 'public' and 'private' introduces some ambiguity in the modern context where some libraries open to the public are run by private institutions and many libraries owned by public institutions (eg Government) are closed to public access. And then again the internet is redefining what is private and what is public.

There's one thing left to add. There is no intention here to set up any ill feeling between those who support or work in Institutional Libraries and the owners of Personal Libraries. The expressions 'amateur' and 'professional' have no place here. There may be a difference in the roles and expectations of those who work in each area, but the circumstances that apply in those areas are also very different. Except for this of course: our love of books and our belief in their capacity to enrich lives.

[edit] The shape of a library

The shape of a personal library is not just about how it fits into the space available. It's also about how the library fits around you, and how the library fits around your books.

[edit] The book's requirements of a library

Most of what we see and think about in libraries is about our convenience and our needs. We want organisation, we want to be able to reach the books, and we want an environment that pleases us. These things make up the human dimensions of a personal library. But none of these things are essential from the perspective of the book. A book doesn't have ambitions, it simply has requirements. If a book had an opinion, and the means to voice it, what would a book ask of a library? To do its utmost to preserve its integrity.

The only thing that matters from the book's perspective is that it continues to maintain its identity as a book. Even then its components will betray that simple requirement. The organic material that it came from yearns to return to the earth, to re-enter the cycle of nature from which it was taken and converted into paper. Even if that paper doesn't include acids (and much of it does) it will ultimately oxidise and decay, the fibres will fall apart and blow away as dust. Entropy rules the universe. A book simply arrests it for a while. But if you can keep the paper dry, and shielded from direct sunlight and free of vermin you could expect to see at least a couple of hundred years of 'arrested development'.

In the design of your library there will be compromises. For example, subdued lighting might ensure longer life for book covers and paper, but creates a situation where accidental mishandling of a book is much more likely. But the reality is that compromise is not so much the problem, as the absence of any conscious 'design' for the library in the first place. Personal libraries start and grow, and are very seldom 'built'. Even in that circumstance where you have the opportunity to design your library as part of a new home, the library - before long - tends to spill over into other parts of the home never intended to accommodate it. While this might seem like a counsel of despair, it is really just a reality check. The bulk of your work with your library will not involve creating a perfect environment, either for books or for yourself, but simply be effort expended in restraining some of it's (well actually 'your') more dangerous impulses and doing your best to make it fit into your overall life situation.

See the Section of this Guide titled: 'Understanding risks to books'
See the Section of this Guide titled: 'Responding to risks with care'

[edit] The human dimensions of a library

There is a Discussion Topic in LibraryThing about this Section.

The needs of the book are relatively simple and easily satisfied, but the needs of people in and around the library are both complex and overriding. Which means that as long as we satisfy some minimum requirements for protecting and housing the books, we should - if we get the chance to actually think about and do something about this - build and manage our libraries around the human requirement. Remembering that those requirements are just not physical but also intellectual and spiritual. And because this is your personal library, this means doing it to your specific requirements.

Which is kind of disturbing, because it means that to the extent that everybody's preferences and situation are different there will be no exact template or guide for how to proceed. But that is also the most liberating and gratifying aspect of the personal library. This is the opportunity to create something unique that is not only a response to your taste, but is also something that responds to your needs. And something that not only reflects a passion for books, but which through your selection of books then showcases to the world your interests, your beliefs and your personality.

The human dimensions of a library reflect on one hand our physical attributes and capabilities, and on the other hand are a product of our instincts and preferences and prejudices. One might say that they are in one sense physiological, and in another sense psychological. And both of course vary immensly. But it is a start.

The physiological vector.

Physiology varies dramatically, and there is no one size fits all approach. But there are parameters between which most of us fall, and we can work with those and simply note the exceptions. But it is worth remembering those exceptions, because however are at the moment, accidents and old age will take their toll, and there is no saying that the people who share your library today will be those who are with you tomorrow.

Lighting and room to move around. At a minimum light sufficient to keep you safe and to enable you to see the books, but


eyond that a good light (or lights) for reading, and study and other activities you might undertake in the library. And space to move, and to work, and to enjoy.

Safety from hazard. Either immediate hazards such as unstable platforms or falling objects, or hazards that might affect the reader over time, such a mould or dust or strain injuries from reaching for or carrying awkward or heavy books.

Aids to assist in access. Be it ladders or steps or extendible arms, and trolleys to help carry them and desks and tables to lay them on. Consider wheelchair access - if not now then eventually.

Some comforts.Chairs to sit on (not stack books on...), shelter and warmth or coolness as required. Children size furniture.

Spiritual element: seclusion and connection. Even in those homes where a personal library has a room of its own, it is still a room in the home. So there will always be some kind of physical connection with the rest of the home. Except of course in the case of the LibraryThing member who purchased the house next door and converted into that into a library... But is there an ideal degree of separation or connection between a personal library and not only the physical fabric of the home, but also the social fabric of the home? What are the consequences, and the benefits, that flow from different degrees of connectedness or seclusion, what has worked for other people? And if you were setting up a library from scratch, or modifying an existing library, what could you do to achieve either situation, and what could you do to create a flexible environment that was equally efficient at achieving seclusion, or connectedness, depending upon your needs at that moment?

It's been said that reading is essentially an anti-social activity, although it would be more true to say 'non-social'. It's fair to say that reading has the potential to be non-social, whether it is carried out under a blanket with a torch at night, or in a custom built library behind a locked door, or on the far side of a breakfast table behind a book. But this is only part of the story. Reading out aloud is tremendously social, and can be much more than simply being read to. Then there is collaborative reading, and companionable reading, and a thousand variations that simply involve two or more people engaged in a variety of compatible activities and only one of that 'many' is reading. The only thing we can reliably conclude in these circumstances is that there is no absolute rule for how connected or isolated a personal library should be. But there is this 'anti-rule'. A personal library does not achieve, or enhance its credentials as a library by aspiring to emulate the 'hushed' environment of the institutional library. If you like that hushed, serene calmness by all means try and achieve it, but do it because you enjoy that environment, and not because you feel that you ought to in order to in order to give your library some legitimacy. The legitimacy of a library comes from your relationship with it, not from your library's similarity to some irrelevant institutional model. And how quiet and serene was the last public library you attended?

Different activities, different approaches to activities, pluses and minuses for each approach. Reading, writing, research, meditation, bonding, educating/learning, fun. Modelling reading as a social activity. Or modelling reading/books as anti-social and anti-family. Consequences beyond the self and the now. Getting to the point of making compromises not because you must, but because you want to. A matter of 'thinking it through'. The signalling of connectedness, of availability to participate, the invitation to enter. The ability to supervise or monitor in both directions (inside to out, outside to inside).

But what can you do to achieve the degree of connectedness or isolation you want to achieve (at that moment). Flexible tools. Screens, lighting, and most significantly - headphones (and wireless headphones with noise cancelling) the most powerful. The use of windows and 'portholes'. The use of sub-areas within the library. The use of video/audio monitoring and communication technology. Even to the point of skyping between computers within the same home. If writing (possible the most potentially isolationist activity - along with meditation) consider creating zone for that activity that is separate to the actual library, so that the library doesn't get entirely swept up in that requirement. Possibility of adjacent area, or of a dedicate area for that activity that is isolated to some degree 'within' the library. Permanent and portable and technological and social tools to achieve result. Note that social is equivalent to habits, such as 'do not disturb between x hrs and y hrs) solutions/suggestions. And a general principle of discussing/compromising/agreeing in order to achieve balance not only in the home, but also in the family or community that uses home and library.

A desk and chair for children (their own version of yours if you have one - their bit of territory in your territory. Ditto spouses, one I know created a whole library and extraordinary ephemera (and continues to do it) for her spouse. Created an exclusive space for the 'other'. This sort of thing based on generous feelings and happiness to have 'separate spaces'. Role of 'truce' signals on wars over space in the house, and acceptance time spent together/apart. Argument for moving the library into your family area (as opposed to moving your family into your library) Kind of works both ways. Creating music area, instrument space, music stand, chair, piano etc.

Spiritual element: themes and moods. A feeling conducive to reading or study or relaxation or whatever you are seeking. Sometimes it comes just from the books, but it can be supplemented by art or music or simply a view out a window. Consider bringing nature indoors with a small potted fern, cacti or palm, but putting them on a shelf alongside or above books is to invite disaster. You could always use dried flowers, but be mindful of not introducing insect infestations. The classic, of course, is a bonsai. But be aware that bonsai although they might be the right size have much the same environmental requirements as the plants - and trees - they are derived from.

First premise: there is nothing wrong with building a decor/theme around a library. It can be an expression of owners interest/enthusiasm for books generally (a book theme), or for some subject that their books specialise in (a subject theme). Paintings, photographs, sculpture, objects bring out other aspects of subjects. Can be gaudy or minimalist, the point is whether the owner enjoys creating the space and that the space then brings the owner (and visitor) joy. Interesting to consider whether some visitors might become interested in books through interest generated in objects?

There is no formula or set of rules about 'how' a library should look. It is probably the case that most personal libraries just 'happen' somewhere (or at several locations) within the home and spread. If there is any theme or decor associated with the library it was the decor of that space before the library expanded into it. Which highlights point that library lives 'within' home which means within the homes decor and theme. But the books and shelves are decor/theme in themselves and so we are already talking about a merging of house-theme + books/shelves. Situation a little different if library has dedicated room. But aesthetic (generally) more satisfying if flows smoothly throughout home. But the 'library look' is a theme in itself.

Generally representations of mixedmedia/themed personal libraries that come to attention are at the enthusiast/extreme end of the scale. Or the very wealthy end of the scale. Not the less worthy for that, but a little daunting to look at and consider, and definitely not if you don't share that enthusiasm (to the same degree) or have access to that wealth. It would be good if there were more representations over the whole spectrum. Not much guidance in the modern public library space - economising and need to focus on access and density means most public systems a bulidings full of shelves. Public libraries if they emphasise design often use large light wells/walls (large external vistas) and massive internal vistas of books - both not applicable to the scale of personal libraries (although note that the external vista can be...). Public libraries stay out of the 'art gallery' and 'museum' space. So where do you model from? Have to follow your own sensibilities, experiment and share.

Inspirations and suggestions: Visit sites etc on web, books etc. Start small, a small picture or object. Increase effect without spending lot of money or risking over-whelming sensibilities by keeping item(s) to a minimum, but highlighting the object with light (spotlight or shelf light - see Lighting Section) or geometry. Set aside space on the shelf, or a pedestal, or niche. Extending theme, by volume (eg complete collections), or by representation (eg showing progress through time of a style). Shouldn't be snobbery about well made copies - (almost) no book since Gutenberg is a one-of-a-kind but we still value THEM. Subtle theming, painting room, plants, painting ceiling, music. Furnishings, cushions and rugs. Different themes for different collections of books kept in separate areas. Ephemera.

Themes:

  • Greek/Roman Classic - sculpture and pottery
  • Astronomical/astrological - ceiling designs
  • Asian/African/South American - art, sculpture, objects
  • Monastic/Religious - paintings, objects
  • Travel - maps, globes, ephemera
  • Botanical - prints, pressed plants
  • Zoological - prints, objects (sculptures)
  • Science/Medical - antique instruments
  • Maritime - barometers, found objects, prints
  • Geneology/Local History - maps, letters, objects, prints

Note: Copy old letters and documents (scan and print, or photocopy (or have done professionally) and frame THOSE. Keep the originals in archive conditions (usu. dark and climate controlled etc). See EHPEMERA for longer discussion.

http://www.placematters.net/node/1782
http://designamour.com/category/ceiling-decoration/page/2/

Giving Libraries a Name. Sometimes people give their libraries 'names' (particularly Chinese), but this can identify your 'feeling' about the library rather than the 'theme', or possibly both. See http://chinaheritagenewsletter.anu.edu.au/features.php?searchterm=013_soubriquets.inc&issue=013, also Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee novels for several references. See also LibraryThing Topic 'changing one's library (i.e. member) name' in case you want to change your LibraryThing name to reflect a new name that you have chosen for your library. Be warned though, it may be that you are then unable to edit your previous posts (this is not certain...)

Spiritual element: hidden dimensions of a library You might not want to 'showcase' every aspect of your library (yourself) equally - or at all - to the world. Adult material in a house with children, material (religious/political/scientific/historical) that you might with to keep discreetly. Material that emphatically does not reflect your beliefs, but which you collect and keep for genuine research/archival reasons. In some cases fringe material which you keep for reference or completeness. In other cases material kept for it's market value rather than content (at all). Many reasons, and many responses - from 'brown paper' covers, to locked cabinets, to storage (especially useful for seldom-accessed reference (or completeness) material. In the latter case, using LT catalog to maintain connection with the material.

See message by kaelrenee in Topic 'How Many Have?' in Group 'Banned Books'

Intellectual element: minimum requirements - tools/References. References have a unique role in a personal library. They are part of the collection, and indeed can be rare and collectible items, but they sometimes used as a tool you can use to get more value out of the rest of the library. In that sense what references you have depends on what sort of collection you have and how you use it, hence mention of it here under 'human dimension of the personal library'. At no other point does this guide make suggestions for what sort of books of ephemera should be in your collection - as you'll notice there is no discussion on acquisition. Unlike institutional libraries there is no strong need for procedures for acquisition (although there is room for some guidance in relation to getting best value, quarantine and data logging...)

No library is really complete without a dictionary. And one might add an atlas, and a thesaurus (if you write as well). It can be observed that all of these features are available in a computer. But printed is more portable. If you are writing also dictionaries of quotations, specialist dictionaries, style guides. A globe - even a small one. Also strongly recommended is a guide to first aid, health, pharmaceuticals and pet care (if applicable). Sometimes having a book beats computer. In an emergency when phones and power is out a book might be all you have.

Role of computers in library, and options. Also of eBooks.


See also a blog devoted to the concep, and imagery, of beautiful libraries...

[edit] The organisation of a library

There is a Discussion Topic in LibraryThing about this Section.

Owners of Personal Libraries are very largely free to choose their own methods of organising them. Consequently you are likely to see a great many different ways of doing this - remembering that whenever one book is placed alongside another some kind of organisation has been created, even if it's name is 'randomness'. Some methods of organisation are circumstantial, some are logical while others are aesthetic or intuitive. In some cases the method will be immediately apparent to the casual browser, in other cases it will reveal itself slowly, like the answer to a cryptic crossword. In other cases it will never be solved without access to the 'key' that's stored in the owners imagination.

Is it vital that Personal Libraries are organized? Well in one circumstances, yes. If you have books which have certain environmental or security requirements and others which do not, and you are unable to provide the conditions to meet those requirements across the whole of your library, you would should at least physically organise your books so that the books that need the most protection are kept in a separate customised environment and/or under tighter security.

For the rest of it, organisation is only significant if it helps you use your own library. If you can encompass the span of your library in a single glance you are probably able to remember, or instantly recognize, every book in your library. To make the effort to organize your books, and to maintain that organization requires some benefit in return. It's true this benefit could be perverse, such as the satisfaction of impressing someone with you perfect adherence to the DDC or the LCC (more about that later), or simply aesthetic. But for the most part, the benefit is measured in increased ease in locating and retrieving books, and in making visible associations between books. Or to boil it down, you can go to the right shelf to find a book you are looking for, and realize (once you get there) that the book alongside it is something you want to read or review as well.

When to start organizing your library. Now it's true that if your library is relatively small, the amount of effort


The organisation of books had become a little more complex now that we can build and maintain library catalogs using computer tools such as LibraryThing. Catalogs it should be noted though, are not just about assisting with questions of association or retrieval. They are And, for the most part, however comprehensive and detailed the electronic catalog is (and how good it is at exposing associations), its ability to assist in retrieval depends upon it's referencing of physical location. And oddly enough, this is the thing that most catalogers don't put much effort into. If the physical organisation is exemplary, or the referencing in the electronic catalog is very good, you have good retrieval. But if both are absent you have poor retrieval as soon as the library reaches a certain size. If you want to improve retrieval you should consider addressing problem with one or other, noting (more discussion later) that physical is easier to start, and electronic easier to finish.

Essentially two zones/fields of organisation - physical and virtual.

What is achieved by physical organising:

  • Find-ability (finding and returning books to correct location for later retrieval). Not the same as 'retrievability' or accessibility.
  • Association (like books are linked, allowing the reader to discover new books, or build up a picture from several books)
  • Maintenance (eg consideration for the book). Eg: Audit (ensure not stolen), Care (of fragile books, of valuable books)
  • Ergonomics (accessibility, requirement to/not-to shuffle books along, density or spaciousness)

Physical Organisation is constrained by:

  • Effort
  • Space

Physical Organisation is supported by:

  • Virtual organisation.

What is achieved by virtual organising:

  • Find-ability (finding and returning books to correct location for later retrieval). Not the same as 'retrievability' or accessibility.
  • Association (like books are linked, allowing the reader to discover new books, or build up a picture from several books)
  • Maintenance (eg consideration for the book). Eg: Audit (ensure not stolen), Discovery and flagging of valuable books, flagging of fragile books
  • capacity (space) planning.

Virtual Organisation is constrained by:

  • Effort
  • Data structures and field limitations and field associative limitations (without programming capacity to modify any of these)

Virtual Organisation is supported by:

  • Other levels of Virtual organisation.

See Also: http://www.librarything.com/topic/153677#4127983


Essentially these are a series of vectors and could be represented in a quadrant diagram?

Overall 'organisation' achieved by summing two systems. Increase in one make up for lesser of other, eg perfect location system in virtual will obviate need for extensive physical organisation, and vice versa.


The first thing to note is that it is possible to spend more time setting up and maintaining a model of organisation than it returns in time saved in respect of any of these achievements. By the same token, if organising a small collection is very likely not cost effective, it possibly makes sense if the collection is expected to grow. In that case the extra (and apparently unecessary effor early on might be repaid by not needing to set up a system later when the bok collection reaches some threshold (usually of crisis) and the cost associated with late implementation. By the same token, someone may come to share the library whech his anot needed organising whilst under your control, but because of their needs, or because of the synergy between you and this other porsen, might need organising now. (eg issues of lost books, shared assets etc).


It is important to consider WHY you organise. We tend to skip this question, assume that it is 'just because', but if we look at what - specifically - we want to achieve THROUGH organising, we might be directed to different methods to achieve that organisation. Furthermore, the circumstances of your library space might force certain decisions on you. In all these cases it is assumed that you have LT and in all cases your LT gives you a 'shelf' (or pile or box) location for each book. Consider

(note: essentially these are a series of vectors (physical size, associative links, etc) that might be represented in a quadrant diagram)

Method: Complete chaos with concealed books and completely random association between adjacent books.
  • If you want your library to surprise you and offer unexpected choices.
  • If you want your library to reflect a certain eccentricity in character
Disadvantages:
  • Almost impossible to locate OR return, specific books in a large library without LT location details.
  • Difficult to maintain a clean environment in such cases.
  • Books may be damaged or deteriorate, in many cases without it being noticed until it is well advanced.
  • Disordered or stolen books will not be noticed
  • Health and safety hazard.
  • Very confronting to non-book lovers and book lovers alike, and may engender a hostile response, including removal of the books (and possibly of you also).
Method: Arrange your books using an Established Cataloging System as a template.
  • If you want your library to reflect a respect for established norms.
  • If you want your library to be familiar to people who use public libraries, or to help people become familiar with public library methods.
  • If you want your library's physical organisation to facilitate locating and returning books without recourse to LT location details.
  • If you want your library to present you with some association between adjacent books on shelves.
Disadvantages:
  • New books will be added at points within existing shelves, necessitating 'shuffling along', relocating books between bookcases and possibly rooms.
  • The fine detail of most established cataloging systems is copyright and may not be easily accessible to you.
  • Some existing cataloging systems include assumptions that may be offensive, eg including some religions under the category 'cult'.
  • The logic of association in some cataloging systems might not suit you, eg most separate fiction and non-fiction at the top level.
Method: Arrange your books according to size.
  • If you want your library to use the space available most efficiently, an conjunction with variable height shelving.
  • If you want your library to be ergonomically 'friendly'.
  • If you want your library to maximise the care and preservation of books (different height books on same shelf contributes to book damage)
  • If you only have fixed height shelving available.
Disadvantages:
  • Depending upon the quantum on which books are 'broken apart', associations between books will be impacted to a greater or lesser degree.
Method: Arrange your books according to value
  • If you want to institute special protection (or levels of protection) for high value books
Disadvantage:
  • Unless the protection for the high value books is adequate, all you may have achieved is to make it obvious to theives which are worth stealing, and made it convenient for them to steal them.
  • Association between books is broken down to a greater or lesser extent.
Method: Arrange your books on shelves to achieve a decorative effect.
  • If you want your library to look nice, for yourself or someone else
  • If you want to make a statement about your own personality.
Disadvantages
  • If you are using the book's natural colours or shape to create the decorative effect there is loss of association (does not apply where books are re-covered or re-housed.
  • Confronting to book lovers, but more immediately endangers books at hands of others who see collection as only a decorative effect that might be discarded at some stage.


Note that there will be hierarchies of organisation (eg primary-vector:valuable before secondary-vector:associative), and tertiary etc etc. Note that these choices reflect your style (decide which of your styles you wish to reflect (see Goffmann)) Very likely your choices will change over time.


The organisation of a personal library - if it is done at all- should be done to the benefit of the people using it. It follows that the there might be as many ways of organising books as there are libraries and people using them. But in practice the many possible theories and methods of organisation boil down to a few basic models. Now, there are arguments for and against all of these models, and none of them is likely to meet all of your requirements, so this Guide certainly doesn't recommend one model ahead of another. This Guide in view of this, will limit itself to a brief discussion of the ideas behind organisation, and lay out the options for the reader, with some reflection on their popularity and utility.

The first thing to note is that it is possible to spend more time setting up and maintaining a model of organisation than it returns in time saved in respect of any of these achievements. By the same token, if organising a small collection is very likely not cost effective, it possibly makes sense if the collection is expected to grow. In that case the extra (and apparently unecessary effor early on might be repaid by not needing to set up a system later when the bok collection reaches some threshold (usually of crisis) and the cost associated with late implementation. By the same token, someone may come to share the library whech his anot needed organising whilst under your control, but because of their needs, or because of the synergy between you and this other porsen, might need organising now. (eg issues of lost books, shared assets etc).

Consider what are the sortable characteristics of books? The process of organisation. Inherent characteristics: title author size color Interpretive characteristics subject fiction/non-fiction association with other books/non-book media and items. Additive characteristics Community engaged: ISBN etc Unique (oblique lines on spines etc) RFID, barcodes

Some organisation. To assist the reader find the book. At a minimum, having some identifying mark on each book visible - usually but not necessarily the label on the spine. The level of organisation is dependent upon the needs and the capability of the reader, it could be a simple collection (all my books), or broken down by subject or author or value or shape, size or color. The reader might do this by 'eye' (or touch), or use aids such as index cards, labels or a computer program.

Possible process for LT members. Using LT's capabilities, by steps... (1) AddBook, ensuring purchase location/price entered, ensuring edition and cover correct. Add cover using digital camera at this point if necessary. (2) Review LT pre-existing tags and recommendations and then add your own tags. (3) Review these tags in aggregate (which should now include this latest book). Confirm that it seems to 'fit' with the rest of them. Consider whether the 'rest of them' are already in one location, or scattered according to some other criteria. Consider whether this latest addition 'tips the balance' towards making or changing the aggregration in place. (4) decide on location, and place book there. Note the name of other books at that location. (5) Return to LT, confirm that all the physical books you have just seen at that location are actually entered in LT. Then enter the location on LT (using vs methods of shelf identification).

Conclusion: Endless rabbit hole to consider 'best' way of organising books. A trap because no book has a 'single' characteristic, and argument will always exist what 'primary' characteristic is because THAT depends upon what you want to achieve with your organisation. Therefore cataloging systems will never meet all of your personal reqts, but are a valid option if you want SOME organisation, but can't justify effort to build your own (which you'll find - at best- only gets closer but never satisfies your needs). Stay calm, and note that re-organising is an excellent opportunity to think about your collection and your hopes for it, and to re-acquaint yourself with your collection, as long as you remember to enjoy the process. Hint - reorganise 'on paper', and use LT to assist, before physically re-ordering a large library. Constraints of space come into play with large libraries, along with Health and Safety moving large numbers of books.

Open Source Cataloging System LT Group; http://www.librarything.com/groups/buildtheopenshelvesc
Shelving by acquisition date - saves re-shuffling shelves. From http://www.librarything.com/topic/135483#3341934

[edit] The Animal Dimensions of a Library

There is a Discussion Topic in LibraryThing about this Section.

I have to admit I hesitated to make this a main heading in case ppl suspected trivialisation. And in the sense that the animal dimension of a library is a matter of human choice, except that cats don't ask permission ..... There is no suggestion here that one ought to have dogs or cats, or any animal in and amongst your books, Some people find the combination terrible to contemplate, even if they do have a fondness for one or other or both. And cats and dogs are some of the threats to your library. Nevetheless, the reality is that for purposes of companionship - or just because we can't keep them out, if there are animals in the home they are likely to share (or want to share) your library space. This sections is a short digression into how you might manage that situation, minimising the risk to books while maximising the boon to companionship, (or in the case of cats their self satisfaction which occasionally spills over onto you. Research shows that cats and dogs are good for our physical and mental health. Much the same might be said of books.

CATS Strong argument for keeping cats indoors, effect on wildlife, dramatic reduction in vet bills etc. consequence is that you will have cat around more. Do a search for "cats and shelves", and "cats and authors" and view the images. Cats have a preference for high places. If you have multiple cats the dominant cat will usually select the highest place. Cats, as cat owners will be aware, spend xx% on average each day asleep. Not using bookshelf, recommend away from books. steps as a means to get up. In cooler climates often warmest near the ceiling.

Cat shelves, 'wave' shapes (not good for books..), and how to convert an ikea bookcase.

Cat scratching - don't keep large books within reach (often large equals valuable which get kept on bottom shelf..see argument for heavy books at waist height).

Cats sitting on something you are trying to read, almost inevitable.

DOGS Happy in a basket at your feet.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2008/nov/12/writers-and-cats
http://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/30-renowned-authors-inspired-by-cats


It can be seen that the needs of the reader are much broader and more complex than the needs of the book. And we might also consider that a library may have more than one reader, and that even the needs of an individual may change over time or according to circumstances. From all of this we might conclude that, at least, to underestimate the needs and the role of the reader is to miss the 'point' of a library, and to miss the opportunity for it to make our lives richer and more satisfying.

All of these things don't have to come together in any particular order, they don't all need to be present. They dont need to be planned or thought about. Books happen, libraries grow seemingly of their own accord. If we looked into it we would find 'our hand in it' even if it was a decision not to cull it, but there is no need to analyse. Enjoy is more important. different elements come to the fore differenttimmes, you might never think of hazard until it happnes to your neigbor.

This guide doesn't prescribe. It is a little wisdom, you dip into it, you add to it, maybe it helps to create something new for you, maybe it defines something you had all along but no name for. Remembering libraries are porsonal spaces, we share some of it in the public space, but some its magic is always in what we hold closest to our hearts, in a most private space The dimensions of our souls, not our possessions.


[edit] Harmonising your library with your life situation

Note: this might be subsumed into the section titled 'human dimensions of the library'

An Institutional Library has the luxury of trained staff and specialised accommodation, and a management team operating with a charter and dedicated budget. The personal library has you, and the people who you share your home with. It's true in almost all instances that the personal library will not be the first priority in your life. Issues of employment, health, education, maintaining social connections, and simply keeping a household running will inevitably demand greater attention than your collection of books. And it is not the purpose of this Guide to suggest it should be any other way. But what I mean by 'harmonising' your library with your life situation is not just about ensuring your library doesn't 'get in the way' of your other responsibilities, but also that where it can it supports you in meeting those responsibilities. And that doesn't just mean developing reading and technical skills based on the books you own, but it's also about being able to unwind with a book, and share them with others by reading aloud.

Sizing

The amount of space books can take up is one of the two big issues when it comes to harmonising your library with your lifestyle. A few hundred books is generally not a problem, the problems start when you start to get over the thousand mark. If you acquire books one at a time at the same pace that you read them you're likely to grow your library by no more than a hundred to two hundred volumes a year. But if you acquire books faster than you read them then the only limit to the rate of growth is your budget and the availability of books within that budget. Some people declare a moratorium, in other cases a refocusing on 'what' the library is about might reduce the rate of growth, perhaps combined with a culling designed to reduce the quantity but increase the quality of the library. Once books start building up in piles on the floor you have a serious problem. Refocus on what your motives and interests really are (or go through the exercise to discover them).

Budgetting

It's all too easy to spend a lot of money on books, but it's not entirely necessary


Content

Once a home might inevitably have a bible (for spiritual support and affirmation) and - oddly enough - cookbooks. Everything is being replaced by the internet, but in the meantime consider other type of books for family health + animal care + financial wisdom +child care + home maintenance + family history + local history. Building libraries for children. Argue that local history and family history vitally important for imparting a sense of (strong) place in the world.

Flexibility

Gradual, episodic, chaotic. Life events. Mergers, demergers. Interesting things happen when two peoples libraries grow together (or apart). Can be gradual, or dramatic following marriage/divorce/inheritance. Take your time to think about culling after mergers beyond the immediately obvious duplicates. Even then, keeping duplicates in case of eventual 'split' might be prudent for some, bad luck foreboding for others... Other people might re-invigorate growth, and set it off in different directions.

Extensibility

You don't have to 'own' a personal library to have a personal library. A library can exist without books at all, although in this case I am talking more about small libraries that are 'extended' by adding in the resources of public and school libraries, and the resources of personal libraries that you are connected to in either 'real' or 'virtual' space. Having read books in other libraries 'makes' the connection/extension, but I argue here that the connection/extension is made more substantial by some extra involvement (over and above simply reading the books). Thinking of at least listing the books you've read, and recommending reviewing them (for your own benefit). You are then able to incorporate these books in your calculations of what you enjoy (and didn't enjoy) which leads to further recommendations (or dis-recommendations) and analysis of motives and interests (see above).

Sharing a library

See Topic; Sharing a library with your spouse?


Multiple libraries

Sometimes just building one library isn't enough. I don't mean creating separate book collections within the one house, or even creating 'outpost' libraries at your workplace or at a holiday home. This is about creating entirely separate libraries for use by other people, and where your involvement might be limited purely to acquiring books or funds for it, and you might never see it or set foot in it. And the motivation? Well, potentially you have the satisfaction of providing a resource for others, you might enjoy the benefits of being seen as a generous helper, and (and this is the most selfish but possibly the most satisfying aspect...) you get to indulge your book collecting mania without having to bear the inconvenience of accommodating the end product. If you've sworn to stop buying books for your library (for reasons of lack of space), then forget the 'diet', buy books for some other library. If you have discovered cheap sources of good books - such as recycling centres or charity shops - you can start building other libraries for very little outlay. Places to start might be the staff or lunch room at your workplace. Community centres, clinics, and hospitals might also be happy to allow you to set up a small library.

The practicalities:

  • You may need to provide a bookcase. If you do, make sure it is secured against a wall and can not (under any circumstances) fall forward on a child.
  • You must not impose any conditions on how the library is used if you put it in someone else's space. A sign 'Free to borrow, free to keep' makes people feel welcome to use the library.
  • The books should be in reasonably good condition, but if they are to be used in a medical setting they should be scrupulously clean and 'bug free'.
  • Generally the books should match the audience.

If the books 'disappear' you should be happy (unless you suspect they are being sold...) and simply bring in more. After a while you may find that other people are donating some of their books into the collection. That's a very satisfying moment. Of course you might do this on a much larger scale, helping to build school and community libraries in this country and abroad. You might even consider setting up libraries, including funding the cost of buildings and library systems. These are grand visions, and worth considering as group projects. But even an individual can make a difference with just one bookcase.

[edit] Libraries come alive

[edit] Activities in the library space

There is a Discussion Topic in LibraryThing about this Section.

Libraries have a reputation as places of retreat, of quiet and possibly even solitude. But if this might be true in many cases, the exceptions can be dramatic. A library with childrens books might also be a area for play and social activity. As indeed might be a regular library. Despite the injunctions against mixing food and drink with books, a library is a pleasant place to have tea or coffee alone or with a friend or several. A library is a perfect setting for a game of a board game, a jigsaw, or a quiet (or potentially quite rowdy) social gathering that has anything to do with books. Consider:

Work / Study / Writing: There is a natural connection between libraries and studies.

Inspiration: Not all activity is 'active', when you think about it.

Meditation / Yoga: A defined library space is normally associated with low noise, low traffic.

Refreshment: A library is a pleasant place to have a tea or coffee with a friend, and to that end it might include a separate table for refreshments, so as to avoid the temptation to put a drink or a plate down on a book shelf. Those that are tied to their library by study or simply obsession might consider creating a 'neutral zone', a small but separate area WITHIN the library where food is stored and prepared - and eaten. Equipping this neutral zone with a book stand that incorporates a protective cove means that reading can continue without interruption. The final touch is to have some hand wipes (baby wipes) at this location which allow a quick clean up before returning to the 'clean' zone that makes up the rest of the library. Other facilities that allow the obsessed reader (or writer) to 'never' leave their library are best left to the imagination, but it could be said that not a few writers have equipped their library with a lounge that doubles as a location for a quick nap, or indeed even a full size bed - which kind of stands the 'books in the bedroom' concept on its head.

Check: Salinger described sleeping on the floor of his study/library.
Not quite the ultimate...but close.
Check: A table laid for two, a romantic dinner. The perfect place to woo a bibliophile. It's somewhere on the net...

Board Games: A library is a perfect setting for a board game. Not only is it the sort of activity that goes with a quiet contemplative space, but if it is dedicated library area you can (usually) count on it being the sort of place you could leave an unfinished game for a few hours or days without it either getting in the way or being disturbed. Developing a library-themed version of a certain property board game would be an interesting project, but there are plenty to choose from, including chess, backgammon and chequers. But there are also more exotic games such as Shogi, Go, Chinese Chess, and board games from ancient times.

Social Gatherings: If there is sufficient room, a personal library space is the ideal setting for a book club meeting, or indeed any club or interest group that might share some of the interests expressed in your book collection. And you could generally count on these folk to take a respectful and appreciative attitude towards your books.

Party Games in the Library: Much more dangerous (but frankly sometimes much more fun) activities do have a certain affinity with libraries, and with a few basic cautions might be engaged upon without (necessarily) destroying your peace of mind, and your library. These are the sort of activities that often work best 'after dinner', but if children are involved they will of course work at any time of day. The possibilities include charades, Drawing Games and 'Who Am I' - all potentially with literary themes. You might just skip the drinking forfeits (and/or rewards) for winning and losing, and substitute penalties such as being required to read aloud (or indeed mime) a piece of poetry or prose selected by the winning team or side. Which might call upon your library resources.

Reading and Performance: Poetry reading, or spontaneous performance of excerpts from plays. You might have a themed evening, with guests invited to express themselves in their choice of costume of their favourite, or some nominated, book or author. While the J.K.Rowling crowd might have an easy time of it, some other authors might set an interesting challenge (Salinger? A man with a packet of frozen peas perhaps...). The potential for riot and disorder of course reaches a crescendo here, because of course this sort of thing works best with a very large crowd. You might think of subcontracting it out to a tent in the back yard of your well-secured house, or perhaps encourage someone else to host it, to share the joy around. Sometimes though reading aloud is something you do for your partner, or someone you hope might become your partner, or your children. If you particularly enjoy reading for children you might that your local library will welcome you as a volunteer reader. And when reading for children, don't discount the effect of simple props - a pirate's hat for instance.

See also LibraryThing Topic: Reading Aloud - for children and adults
See also LibraryThing Topic: Reading Aloud for Adults
See also Link: Some Thoughts on the Lost Art of Reading Aloud

Now you might get a sense that these activities are not be entirely sedate, and possibly fuelled by the good cheer that flows from a excellent meal with guests, and of course they work better with more rather than fewer people involved. Since your books are likely to be called upon extensively to further feed the jollity you are left to ponder the suddenly-not-so-abstract concept of 'perfect preservation' versus utility. Perhaps one could, as hosts used to do in the 70's, hide the good records when the rowdy visitors were around. The best that perhaps could be done is that in anticipation of your guests' robust enjoyment of literature you might consider building up and making available a small library of 'utility' copies of works of poetry and prose, and locking the door to your real treasures.

A final note. An evening of extremely high spirits reading from books is very possibly going to result in some of them wandering off with their new best friends. Particularly as not all of your guests might be in a condition to exercise their very best judgement as they depart. Short of frisking everyone down, you could encourage them to stay overnight and have a themed breakfast, or fall back on the strategy of having an library of 'seconds' for such occasions.

Some Links: (that need tidying up...)
[1] [2] [3] [4] Link to Discussion Topic in LT
Link to Discussion Group in LT about the game of Chess
Link to Discussion Group in LT about the game of Go
Book about the benefits of board games in childrens libraries
The Role of 'Play' in Public Libraries
An academic being very 'Hands On' about games in libraries.
http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/62418/library-themed-games
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=pressreleases&template=/contentmanagement/contentdisplay.cfm&ContentID=141057

[edit] Activities in the virtual library space

There is a Discussion Topic in LibraryThing about this Section.

It should be noted that a library is not just 'lively' when there are people visiting the physical space, but also when you are sharing it with others in the virtual space of LibraryThing. Everytime you participate in a discussion, or write a review that others read, you are inviting others into your library, and visiting theirs. The existing spaces in LibraryThing for social interaction are extensive and there is some written guidance on those facilities and a great deal of good will among LibraryThing members to help each other 'learn the ropes'. What might be worth considering though, is using your personal Wiki space in LibraryThing to express even more of yourself.

Legacy Librarhttp://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/Library_Spaces#Activity_in_the_World-wide_Library_Spacey activity in Library thing.....
LibraryThing Discussion Group on Legacy Libraries
LibraryThing Overview of Legacy Libraries

Outside of LibraryThing there are several book related 'online' activities that might engage you. One site at least invites book lovers to read and record books from the public domain as a resource for the blind. Another site invites readers to translate ancient greek from papyrus recovered from the Egyptian desert in 1904.
Talking Book Project
Greek Payrus Project

To be expanded.... Reading about books online, book Blogs etc, LibraryThing flash cataloging and Legacy Libraries. Libraries in Second Life?

See Group: Second Life

[edit] Activities in the world-wide library space

There is a Discussion Topic in LibraryThing that relates to this Section.

Sometimes you read about travelling, or read in order to know more about where you are actually travelling to (see: 'Search for books about places and travel' in this Guide). But sometimes the book ethusiast will simply travel in order to see books and places associated with books. To travel on a pilgrimage to the birthplace of your favourite author, or their grave. To walk in their footsteps, or those of the characters in their novels. To visit their homes and their libraries. Or simply to travel to a place to look at books, in either the great institutional libraries or famous or quirky (or famously quirky) bookstores. To travel to meet living authors at book fairs, lectures or signings, or just to socialise with fellow book lovers and perhaps even meet up with LibraryThing members.

Literary travelling is now a major tourist industry in itself. Whereas once you might have included the Globe Theatre and Stratford-upon-Avon in a travel itinerary, there are now tours based around the Harry Potter novels and the Da Vinci Code books, along with do-it-yourself guides to authors and entire genres. Even if your travel intentions weren't inspired by a literary notion, these tour packages come in all shapes and sizes suitable for 'fitting into' your broader travel plans. If - as often is the case - the obsession with books is not shared by others you are travelling with, this might be a chance to let your travelling companions indulge their favourite pastimes (shopping perhaps, or visiting iconic sporting stadiums) while you indulge your own.

Library Thing Topic Discussions and Groups:
See: LibraryThing Topic: 'Visiting a place only previously read about'
See: LibraryThing Group: 'Travel and Exploration'.
See: LibraryThing Topic: 'Literary Tourism'
See: LibraryThing Group: 'Bookstore Tourism'.

Bookstores:
See: The 20 most-beautiful bookstores in the world.
See: 16 bookstores you have to see before you die
See: America's best bookstores
See: 10 inspiring bookshops around the world
See: The world's greatest bookshops
See: The world's fairest bookshops

Libraries:
See: 62 of the world's most beautiful libraries
See: 49 of the most breathtaking libraries from around the world
See: The most spectacular libraries in the world

Tours:
See: Yahoo guide to some of the world's best literary tours.
See: Literary Houses of Massachusetts.
See: Frommer's guide to literary tours.

For those wishing to pay their respects at the graves or memorials to literary figures the best place to start may be a their biographical entry in one of the online encyclopedias. It is worth then trying to connect to the website of the cemetery or church or museum to confirm opening hours. Many European sites have very restricted visiting hours in their winter season.

Some tours involve just visiting one site, others involve cross-country (even international) travelling. Some involve walking, some travelling by boat, some crawling (as in Dublin's literary pub crawl). There are some that take involvement to the next level, including themed gatherings, dinners and and readings. There are even re-enactments of scenes from novels (although I was thinking more Rhett Butler than E.L.James... And then there's the tour that is just yourself, a book and a special place.

In that spirit, if you are a living near a place of 'literary interest' you might like to extend an invitation to LibraryThing visitors from out of town to take them on a local tour. But take note: although we tend to imagine that anyone interested in books must be an 'ok' type of person, you should arrange to initially meet at a public place, and not feel obliged to take your visitors back to your home - particularly if you have a valuable book collection or feel in any way vulnerable. Similarly, you might arrange to get together with other LibraryThing members to visit a site of mutual literary interest.

Or, and especially if you are less socially inclined, you might gather some references to local authors and their work, or write your own notes, and post it as a Discussion Topic in LibraryThing as a guide to visitors. It's then possible to link that Discussion Topic to the book's 'Main Page' and/or the 'Author Page' in LibraryThing so that readers can easily find it.

And, once again, it may be worth your while to ask a librarian. That's to say in this case the librarian in the locale that is associated with your 'literary figure of interest'. Their library might have some material relating to local authors, or be able to put you in contact with some local 'specialists'.

And of course, if your travels take you to New York, you might consider this ultimate book travelling indulgence... the Library Hotel.

[edit] The personal library in context

(Note: This Section is in rough draft. Expected completion date December 2013.)

The modern concept of a personal library is one that exists in the home and is largely private. This hasn't always been true, isn't true now everywhere, and might not be true in the future. Essentially most institutional libraries owe their original existence to donation of personal libraries. Although less opportunity for that now, virtualization is creating new opportunities for community and outpost libraries made up of elements of personal libraries.

[edit] The Personal Library in History

There is a Discussion Topic in LibraryThing about this Section.

Does a knowledge of history change your experience of your current day personal library? Possibly not, but reflecting on history is a chance to see how personal libraries are shaped by circumstances in the 'outside' world, and how they have contributed to people's lives, and indeed to civilizations. If we were to look at those forces that have shaped the history of personal libraries—

  • the rate of literacy,
  • the creation of disposable income,
  • the esteem in which learning is held, and
  • the technology of printing and binding,

we can see that these are still issues in flux. And, it might be added, that in the case of the first three forces, change has not always been for the better. Indeed, at different times in different cultures these forces have played out differently. Consequently in this review of the history of personal libraries, once we leave ancient times it will be most expedient to follow three separate histories of three major world cultures, the Western world, the Islamic world, and the East Asian world.

The Personal Library In Ancient History
Sumeria, Egypt, Greece, Rome. Up to the creation of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium).
Just in case you ever wondered what the Romans did, here's a link: http://www.historyofinformation.com/expanded.php?id=3089
I am more curious about a Greek tradition, and whether Alexander's conquests spread or absorbed ideas about books and libraries.
There's room in here for mention of religious authorities controlling texts, and hence agendas.
The Personal Library in East Asia
Japan, China.
The Personal Library in the Islamic World
Early Islamic Personal Libraries
Very likely a very fertile area. Possible an example of cross-over, in the sense that these might have become very widely shared personal libraries, almost a stage where they become quasi-institutionalised, given the tradition of Islamic scholarship. Possibly not disimilar to the attitude of Greeks? Impact of large scale production of paper via knowledge from China. Universality of Arabic script equivalent Latin (or previously Greek). Availabalility of paper made a difference, possibly also higher rate of literacy due to religious obligation/merit(?) to read Koran (?)
http://muslimheritage.com/topics/default.cfm?ArticleID=642
http://www.salaam.co.uk/knowledge/growth-development-islamic-libraries.pdf
http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~mbolin/wani-maqbool2.htm
http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=4697
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/jais/volume/docs/vol12/v12_07_Osti_215-223.pdf
http://islamstory.com/en/node/27505
http://www.the-tls.co.uk/tls/public/article812318.ece
http://mosaicofmuslimwomen.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/article-islam-and-the-very-first-public-libraries/
Science and Islam: A History By Ehsan Masood: Reference to private libraries.
http://www.smi.uib.no/sa/01/1Haroun.pdf
http://www.degruyter.com/dg/viewarticle/j$002flibr.1967.17.issue-1-4$002flibr.1967.17.1-4.149$002flibr.1967.17.1-4.149.xml;jsessionid=66FDB0EC358E160E252ACF4BA4316BD1
http://www.metafilter.com/94154/Mediaeval-Arabic-Manuscripts-in-Private-Libraries-in-Mauritania
The Personal Library In The Western World
It is possible that the further back in time we go the less reliably we can ever say what was a 'personal' library and what was an 'institutional' library. Clearly monastic libraries were institutional, but the 'State' libraries which we might call institutional today were once the personal collections of princes and kings. Even today the Queen's Library in the UK is a personal library. In the pre-Gutenberg post classical period European libraries were largely in the hands of monasteries. Post Gutenberg personal collectors had the capacity to amass large significant collections that had the most impact through their conversion to, or donation to, early institutional libraries asociated with universities and specialist professions. Early personal libraries were perhaps more public than we think of today, being available to scholars etc. Post Industrial Revolution institutional libraries relied less on donation, personal libraries just as likely to be status symbols as previously, but now more of them. Coincide with subscribed publishing (Audubon etc). Personal Libraries tending more private, effect on family (example Herman Hesse's grandfather's collection). Impact of the rise in public libraries, particularly following Carnegie, and school libraries. Less call on personal libraries to be public. Equilibrium today? Or changes - effect of eBooks, virtualisation of catologs and collections allowing personal libraries to become community or research libraries. Wealth enabling in the West. Situation in the developing world? Asia? Collections always exist for collection's sake. Personal Libraries always had, always will have, accidental/inadvertent impacts, always - ultimately - the satisfaction of the total experience. Libraries and reading as radical and dangerous. The impact of competition from digital media, and digitisation of libraries.the effect of Gutenberg. Was there some kind of 'ethic' operating here, based on puritan values? The Bible and self development books? Similarly Quaker? Were there Catholic private libraries? The notion of self development. Workers institutes libraries flowing over into the home, or did the provision of public facilities cause stall and decline of personal libraries except among the very rich (who were very rich indeed). Process of pillaging going on from old collections, some institutional, flowing back to institutions through bequests.
The Personal Library in Recent History
Bringing Historic Personal Libraries Back to Life
The Legacy Library Project
Other Projects - preserving/restoring/rebuilding


[edit] The Personal Library In Our Time

Observation about how the impulse and rationale of personal libraries evident in history (and trends and fashions) continues into present day, into your library, and the future of your library. (section 'do books have a future' should be at the end of this section). Issues about sharing, how it contributes to your life, education opportunity, wisdom, community

Evidence suggests continuing interest, utility. I have considerable hope for satellite access to internet for children, but .... Susan Greenfields observations about effect of internet on brain development. Libertarian, disaster and regime proof (F. 451) aspects. Bottom line, it is what we know, even if we are wrong and wasting our effort preserving books at least we are being true to ourselves.

See Blog: Some thoughts on the utility of paper from inside academia.
See Wikipedia entry: Private Library
See Book: The Case for Books: Past, Present, and Future


mixed media, one one hand objects, art etc. on the other hand electronic media.

  • A library can be a shared space. Different people might share it. Or it might be a space shared with other function, such as a music room, or a play room. Its role in bringing people together, letting them grow as individuals
  • A personal library can be a virtual outpost of an institutional library, or a node in a community library. Your role as a librarian/researcher/archivist
  • A libraries can be an expression and focus of Group Identity (personal libraries joined as virtual community/activity in the library space)
  • A library is a bridge to other libraries and lovers of books. All book shelves are ultimately connected.
  • A library can be a preservative and bastion against small and great disasters.(References)
  • A book in a library can save a life. (References)

Books in the bathroom: http://inhabitat.com/take-a-bath-of-knowledge-with-vanessa-mancinis-tub-made-of-books/

[edit] The Personal Library in Literature and Cinema


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