What do you do with a book when you are done reading it? [Bookcases]
 

There is a great thread going on where people buy their books, and I got to wondering what everyone does with ttheir books when they are done with it. I very rarely re-read a book, so most of the books I finish I donate to the nearest public library. I tend to keep my Louis L'Amour books and my Marvel comic novels though.

If I liked it enough to think that I will re-read it some day, I keep it. Otherwise, I bring it to the local used book store for credit. If they don't want it, I donate it to the library.

I actually keep most (if not all) the books I read if they are hardcover. I'll donate paperbacks to the goodwill every so often.

I usually try to talk my wife into reading it if I really enjoyed it and 9 times out of 10 she won't do it. :lol:

If I really liked it I will give it to a friend to read otherwise back to the bookshelf it goes.

I keep them unless it is a really bad book, then I take it to a used book store for credit.

I keep 'em all. I've still got boxes and boxes of them in my parents attic, and I haven't lived at home for years! So, you might get a good idea of how my place looks--shelves, shelves, and more shelves!

Add it to my library :D

I used to keep everything unless it was a true stinker, but then gradually bookcase space became a pressing issue. I mean, we have nine bookcases full (and I'm talking TALL bookcases here...). So my husband and I decided on the painful (we're both collector types) but necessary policy of keeping only books that we're going to re-read. And we went through our books to weed out a lot, too. Actually, the end result has been beneficial - it's a lot nicer to have our bookshelves filled with books we actually are going to re-read, rather than a lot of "filler" that just takes up space.

I add it to my library also :)

I never sell back books, and I rarely, if ever, would donate them to a library or goodwill. I just like to read too much, and I know that I'll reread books numerous times.

Mine go in my home library, too.

I usually only buy books that I know I'll want to keep after reading them. I have a dream of one day buying a house where I turn one room into my library. If I buy a book at a book fair that turns out to be crap, I'll either take it to a used book store for credit or give it away.

If it's a book I think my father would like, then I give it to him (and he does the same with stuff he buys) We generally buy mostly paperbacks, so after we've both read the book, then we pass it along to someone else (at original purchaser's discretion of course)

Hardcovers, reference books etc are of course a different story. Generally if the book is $10 or more, then it gets a spot on a bookshelf.

goes into the library until we start running out of room. then we weed out the ones we don't need/want/are never going to read and donate them.

I keep most books I have read while the others go to a used book store for credit on future purchases. I feel Darksides pain though, as I have learned long ago the best way to get my wife to read something is to NOT tell her she SHOULD read it. It has to be HER idea don't you know!

I don't read book too often, but I keep all the book I've read in case I might want to read it again some other time.

Bookcases
 

My collection of books has overtaken all of my available storage space. I've been using 4 Sauder bookcases I bought about 12 years ago, and the books are now stacked in piles, 2 and 3 deep on them. I'd like to get some nice cases where I can arrange them in rows, spines facing out, one row deep only. We're talking over a thousand titles.

Anyone have any suggestions for study, reasonably priced bookcases with lots of capacity? Eight to ten shelves would be ideal.

Thanks.

I'll be interested in that as well. I mostly have paperbacks and most bookcases come with too few shelves to make the best use of the space. I'm currently waiting on extra shelves to come in now, as I had to combine shelves from one case into another to set the shelves where I needed them.

I picked up my bookcases at Costco. Made by A. Joffe I believe. Kind of a light red oak. 7' high and 4'wide. $199 each. I couldn't find anything better at the time so I went for them. They are extremely well build and nice and sturdy.

How many shelves did it have? The problem I've seen with most bookcases is they tend to have 5 or 6 shelves, designed to hold oversized hardcover books. Most of my books are trade and mass market paperbacks, so I would like something that's got 10 shelves in about 8' of height.

Re: Bookcases
 

<small></small>Not quite what you were asking for but do you have a friend with the necessary tools and who likes to get involved with (i.e. undertake!) woodworking projects?

Paying careful attention to the position of studs, pipes and wiring, you could have him/her construct a wall-sized storage solution! It might be good insulation also! The raw materials could even be salvaged/reclaimed from other furniture (some people use old floorboards etc) and treated/painted to have a uniform appearance.

Alternatively, do you have an IKEA or similar nearby? I think when I bought my last set of (fairly reasonably-priced) cases from them I was able to specify the number of shelves in order to ensure the least wasted space when displaying the smaller paperbacks.

I found a book case online that was made specifically for paperbacks a while back, but it was way over priced. Right now I just have some regular 6' Sauder type shelves with paperbacks standing two high on each shelf. It works for now.

Re: Re: Bookcases
 

You're correct. IKEA does sell extra shelves for their bookcases. They also sell inserts for their bookcases so you can use a shelf for storing CDs.

I prefer the IKEA ones over the Sauder bookshelves I used to own because the bases are shapped so you can push the bookcase flush with the wall if you have molding around your base.

Re: Re: Bookcases
 

When I buy my first home I intend to build a library/media room with floor to ceiling shelves on all of the walls to store my books, DVDs and CDs.

Until then, I'll have to check out IKEA. Are their cases sturdy? I've never been impressed with their furniture.