I read a lot but try so hard not to buy books at all, just get them from the library and still have a bookshelf full. After giving away a bookshelf full when I moved. I don't know whether to say congratulations or send sympathy, the thought of owning and cataloguing so many books gives me anxiety.
this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2025
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I love owning books and always dreamed of having such a collection. I still have so many I want to own as well. But it isn't for everyone. I can say I been building this collection for 14 years now.
Ok, congratulations it is then! My mom had a book room, shelves on every wall full of books.
I have a few hundred, but only about 100 of those are actually on shelves and not in boxes waiting to be donated to the library for one of their book sales. And those on display are mostly textbooks I want to keep around, and cookbooks, and a shelf of comics.
But my ebook collection is in the neighborhood of 120,000. Way back in the day I downloaded a HUGE pack of sci-fi, and another huge pack of fantasy. Sadly nothing more recent than like 15 years ago, though.
It’s overkill big time in that it would take me several lifetimes to read them all even if I managed a book every single day. Just about 330 years not including the comics.
Who officiates this? I'm asking because I believe my wife will have close to that number of books on her own, and she'd be tickled to be an official library.
OOK!
(Translation: the library knows when it becomes official. And the Library knows. All libraries are connected by quantum.)
I believe it is when the weight of the contained knowledge collapses to merge with the L-space wavefunction.
Does one of the books go into what happened to turn him into an orangutan?
I think that basically every time he's introduced in a book, it just says that it was some magical mishap. I don't think it's ever really explained in depth, but based on the general goings-on at UU that's probably just because it's not an interesting or significant story. "He was messing around with some spells, and got turned into an orangutan. That's the whole story."
Yes. I can't remember, it's an early one, probably something with Rincewind, maybe Sourcery? I think it's re-explained in the next book after.
I can remember them talking about trying to turn him back and him becoming very angry, but I don't remember how he got turned in the first place.
Google says it's in The Light Fantastic
I read that like 25 years ago in college, so makes sense why I don't quite remember.
Look at the 2 two of us with a fun little rereading assignment ahead!
For the USA, the American Library Association has some tips on on how to start a library.
Man no clue that be pretty sweet if that could be a thing.
Yall must never have to move. I had to move about 100 and said I'm digitizing my collection during my current stay so I don't have to lug them to my next move.
Own my home have for 7 years (luckily bought right in 2018) couldn't afford to move if I wanted to. Which we do. One need a bigger place this one is getting to small, and old and can't afford to put the money to keeo it up. But mortgage is just what we can afford. No fucking way could I afford to rent even one bedroom in today's economy.
One of the many reasons we afford to buy the occasional book.
My wife once suggested to me that if my books ever start to take up too much space, we can just build an extension out of books.
I have 715 books with about 20 others I couldn't find OCLC records for and haven't set aside the time to catalog by hand.
I wonder where the 1000 number comes from but that's been my goal as well, until it gets pushed to 1500 or 2000 (HA!)
Well you got me curious, turns out I'm just over halfway there!
I have about 20 books, only 1 shelf. I try to keep books I have read and really liked to display. A lot of the books a childrens books or YA because the stories I read dont hit as hard as an adult.
I have zero shelves but a very full e-reader. I understand.
Of the books I own in paper, I have read 3 of them to completion. I think I have approximately 10 books in paper?
I haven't actually counted, but if you count comic books and graphic novels, probably close to 20,000? Something like that.
Just want to say that is a crazy amount of books. You must have large amount of space.
Two rooms.
The library:
The comic book room:
We also run a little free library, but there's only so much space in there and it's continually revolving:
That's quite the collection you have!
Oh wow love it! I love to run a little free library, unfortunately live in a neighborhood surrounded by anti book Mega fucks. So probably get vandalized. What's under the books on the free little library?
I zoomed in and was able to make it a label that says dog treats
Oh yeah barely could read it, but your right. Thank you for answering. I love free little library's.
Eragon and Animorphs? Hello fellow millennial!
Those are my wives books, and yes she is a millennium.
You are a certified Library
I counted our graphic novels but haven't added my comics. I should do that and update my count.
Edit: Can I also count my magazines or is that separate?
Libraries have always been books, magazines and newspapers. Nowadays it's even CDs and movies too!
I have 1,180 on my shelves according to Library Thing, and dozens more in boxes. Almost all from used book stores!
I hope you never have to move
I'm definitely evaluating which books I am collecting vs just want to read. I strongly prefer paper to ebooks for the experience of reading, but I may need to give in.