Culling the herd

[jethrien]

I've just gone through the bookshelf. I've managed to eliminate almost four and a half feet of books. (They're getting donated to Chuckro's parents' library booksale.) The really sad thing is that if you glanced at the shelf, I'm not sure how much you'd notice - it just means that things aren't quite as badly double-stacked.

But I've got a couple inches of room left on the uneven-sized trade shelf - I can buy more books!

...I think it's possible I have a problem.

Comments

[cubby-t-bear.livejournal.com]

Um. What's your feeling about electronic books? As in, of the many-gigabytes of electronic book variety? My need for bookshelf space has gone down dramatically in recent months.

[shnayder.livejournal.com]

As long as they aren't DRMed, I'm generally in favor. Though I've yet to actually get an e-reader, and a paper book is usually nicer than a laptop.

[chuckro.livejournal.com]

I think right now (mostly because of DRM issues), e-readers most useful for people who want to read either the contents of Project Gutenberg, or a lot of fanfiction. Ivy03, for instance.

[jethrien.livejournal.com]

I'll get there eventually, but right now I have some issues with the e-readers.

[lithoglyphic.livejournal.com]

I need to cull BADLY. Major offenders are:

-- used copies of classics I have not read but am not *that* excited about
-- bargain cookbooks I bought before I discovered foodblogs
-- several unread copies of the Princeton Library Journal that were mailed to me as part of my Friends of the Library membership (I'd really like those to go to a good home, like maybe an academic library... U of M?)

I'm pretty good at getting rid of fiction outside the most beloved 10% or so. Gave away a New Orleans themed ghost story as the prize for winning the murder mystery game at our recent Mardi Gras party, for instance. It was actually quite good, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to re-read it. Therefore? No need for it on my bookshelf. Preferred ways of getting rid of books are library booksales and passing off to friends.

I am completely nonplussed by e-readers. I don't need to carry a whole bookshelf with me, only what I'm currently consuming. I need to use the library more...