Once you start a collection of books, you will need a place to store them. Boxes of books under the bed are not beneficial. Economical bookshelves are available. Bookshelves can also be created with cinder blocks and boards or shelves that bracket to the wall. You may be able to pick up free used bookshelves from social media posts or the same freebie apps where you find free books. With creativity and determination, space can be found for book storage. Try to avoid dirty or damp places such as a garage or a humid (or flood prone) basement. Areas with large fluctuations or extremes of temperature should also be avoided if possible as they are hard on books. A dead-end wall in the hallway, a corner of a bedroom, or a blank dining room wall are all great places for bookshelves. It may be possible to pull a couch a few feet away from the wall and place a bookcase or two behind it. Don’t forget that bookcases come in a variety of sizes. A narrow bookcase may fit in a nook where a regular one will not. The unused bar space of a kitchen counter may be lined underneath with short bookcases. A bookcase does not have to be placed against a wall. The foot of a bed is a great place for a short bookcase. A tall bookcase might be placed against the end of a bunkbed. Book storage can even be incorporated into staircases!
When you have a place to store your books, they will need to be organized in some fashion to make it quick and easy to find what you want. Your system does not have to be complicated, but the more books you have the more important it is to have a system and to stick with it. With around 5000 volumes in my library, I have a fairly strict organizational structure. Biographies are shelved alphabetically; other histories are in chronological order. Science books are categorized by subject. Biological sciences would be a major category, within that, all the animal books would be a smaller category, and within that category, all books about frogs would be together – hopefully! Fiction is ordered by the last name of the author. If a book is “checked-out” of my library, I have a designated place for “returns” so that I can reshelve it in its proper place. Older children can be trained to put a book back where it belongs if they know and understand the system. I have found that if I want little ones to have access to the books for their level, those books will not be organized. But all of their books can go on a separate bookcase or in a bin, so that they are at least contained in one place. Children can be trained to not disturb the other bookcases.
If you wish to catalog your books, there are a number of electronic, online cataloging systems. Some of them are free for small libraries, i.e., under 2000 books. If you think you will loan books to friends it is good to have a system for knowing who has your books and for sending them a reminder to return them. Some electronic cataloging systems are free for small libraries, some require a one-time purchase, and others are a monthly subscription service. LibraryThing, and its associated app, TinyCat, is a popular cataloging system for serious book collectors. Libib is also highly rated. Goodreads is another cataloging website. Of course, you may also use a spreadsheet to catalogue your collection, or simply do it the old-fashioned way with 3 by 5 cards. Find what works best for you. Begin cataloging early in your collection process so you don’t have an overwhelming number of items to do all at once. A cataloging system will also help you not to accidentally buy duplicates and to keep track of books that are on loan to family and friends.
Your library collection is personalized to you and your family. The individual books may be personalized, too. Don’t hesitate to mark in books as you read them, adding your own comments and thoughts. Pencil is the least distracting and destructive way to mark or underline/highlight as you read. However, young children should be taught NOT to write in books until they are old enough to understand the why and how to do it properly – and with their own volumes! Sometimes a book needs editing to make it fit your family’s values or circumstances. I have used crayons, pens, markers and white-out to dress nudes and to obscure inappropriate words or pictures. I have added written remarks to point out fallacious reasoning, misinformation or outdated information, or values that do not align with the culture I want in my home or classroom. Occasionally, I remove a page or glue pages together to eliminate something I don’t want my students to see. As a parent or teacher you have the privilege and responsibility to protect your children – in this sense, censorship is not bad. With a home library, the goal is to have a collection that you may recommend to your children without reservation. If there are books that are not appropriate for certain ages, but are needed for your field or are appropriate for later ages, place them in a place that is inaccessible or less accessible to the younger set.
Where there are books and children, there will be a need for book repairs. Sometimes a used book will need mending when you buy it. Clear packing tape is effective and economical for repairing ripped pages or pages that have fallen out and for patching the covers of paperback books. Scotch tape and similar products do not seem to hold up well. Book repair tape is available online. Some of these are designed for repairs of damaged hard covers. If you have a rare or very valuable book, consult an expert before doing any home repairs. A designated “book hospital” gives children a known location for placing a damaged book. Keep a “book repair kit” handy, so you may keep your library in top condition. While children, even the youngest, can and should be trained to handle books with care, accidents happen, and books will need mending from time to time.
Building a family library is a generational effort, little appreciated, but all the more important, in our day of ubiquitous screens, social media censorship, and constant streams of information and misinformation. Take your time and build a library of first-class literature. Find a way to organize the books and make them accessible. Then, teach your children to love literature and to appreciate and care for physical (not electronic) volumes. The books you collect may be passed down and treasured by your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren! Don’t neglect your “family library in days such as these!”
Fin.