To those of us with extensive home libraries, the term collection needs to be uttered with just the right amount of snark. A slight sneer may also be appropriate. The photo is of the maritime library. Yes, of course, it is distinct from the carving library, the shelves for history, or the area reserved for the garden and woodlands. No need to worry about the anthropological library, though. A few years ago, I decided that I wasn’t returning to that area of work and did a thorough “weeding.” that section of the house frame gave a great groan of relief. All those hefty volumes were gone.
Of course, I am not considering the collection of “weeded” books that will soon find their way to a used bookseller. You weed out the old, and in a twinkling you make way for more.
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Mine ended up mailed to a friend in France who taught English to French salesmen who needed to pass an English test to work in EU countries and to a local library support group. Now, to figure out who will get the massive Cd and DVD collections now that streaming is the way people listen to music and view movies.
True. Having collections brings responsibilities as to where they go when we no longer need them.
That is one well-loved bookcase. One of our indie stores and our library had back-to-back book sales, so I guess I need to go through mine. So painful, though…
I get over 50 physical books with the contest every year. I keep some and hate myself for it but OH WELL. Others I try to find homes for and others go out on the street with “Free Books!” It’s very cool that they mostly find homes with people who will throw them out later.
Or they wind up at library and church book sales.
Oh yeah! Once the library in Del Norte took them for their book sale. I might try that again.
I honor folks’ bookshelves — it’s part of who they are that we might otherwise not see. Sadly, though, I did a long overdue book-purge here a couple years ago and should’ve stuck to only culling husband’s (read) amassed piles from friends while hospitalized, because damned if I haven’t gone looking for a few of my books (and dozens of kid books) since then!!
Ohhhhh, that’s happened with me too!
That weeding must have taken a weight off your mind as well as out of your house. We have ten bookcases of various sizes–and could use another, but there’s more harmony if I never say “We should get rid of…”
It has to be done once in a while. While my oldest son lived with us he never weeded, and I feared a collapse he had so many books, videos and other stuff. His wife made him cut back!