As an avid book reader and collector, you face two problems: you need to organize your book collection and deal with the lack of space. Books come in all shapes and sizes, cover all subjects, and put the world firmly on your doorstep. That’s the joy of books. But they can be a nightmare to sort through.
Fortunately, technology can help you keep your books in order. What is the best way to organize your book collection? How do you organize a bookshelf with a lot of books? And should you really get rid of your prized novels?
Books are personal, so you need to arrange them in a way that’s most accessible to you. Do you separate hardbacks from paperbacks? Do you stack them in piles? With that in mind, here are a few ways to organize your books.
How do you organize a library? This is the professional way to do it, i.e. how they’re listed in educational institutions. So what is the Dewey Decimal System?
It’s simply a numerical-based method to organize books by genre, then by author surname. Here’s the basic system used in public spaces:
000: Computer science, information, and general works
100: Philosophy and Psychology
200: Religion
300: Social Sciences
400: Language
500: Natural Sciences
600: Applied Sciences and Technology
700: Arts and Recreation
800: Literature
900: History, Geography, and Biography
Each number further splits into smaller categories. For instance, Literature is divided into American literature in English (810), English & Old English literatures (820), and many more. William Shakespeare even has his own subcategory (822.33).
But of course, you can do your own thing by creating your own organizational system. Splitting by genre could just mean you group all detective fiction together. Romance has its own place, as do thrillers. Classics might deserve their own space—it’s entirely up to you.
Or you can simply split your collection into fiction and non-fiction.
Let’s explore some less intense ways to sort your collection.
You finish one book and want to start a new one. But they’re scattered haphazardly about so you can’t find the one you’re after.
Instead, create different piles, shelves, or cupboards. These separate the books you’ve read (and want to keep—which we’ll come back to) from the tomes you still want to enjoy. This will mean it’s easier to decide what to enjoy next.
Are there novels you want to reread? Or journals that will be useful for work? Keep them separated from the rest of your books.
Keeping your favorite books to one side can prove a handy pick-me-up on days you’re feeling low. If you are feeling down, a fantastic immersive story can cheer you up. Don’t forget that there are plenty of websites you can browse when you’re feeling depressed too.
This is the easiest method for keeping your collection in order. Organize your volumes in alphabetical order, according to authors’ names, or by title.
This can be first name or surname, as long as you remember which you’ve opted for. It wouldn’t be such a problem when looking for Christie, Agatha, but is more important for Zafón, Carlos Ruiz.
Few things are as frustrating as finishing one book in a series and eagerly reaching for the next… only to find you’ve misplaced it. You spend the next day scouring your bookshelves, intermittently crying, and checking behind sofas. Then you order a replacement copy online.
Alternatively, you could keep series in chronological order and make life as stress-free as possible.
How do you keep track of which books you’ve read and which you’d like to catch up with?
A good option is using a cataloguing website.
The best-known one is Goodreads, which contains details on the vast majority of books, including different editions. You can mark any you’ve read and review them. Many authors are also members, so will see feedback and can be asked questions about their work. Plus, you can mark books you’re interested in and Goodreads will email you further recommendations.
At the end of the year, Goodreads will give you a helpful summary of how much you’ve read.
Another solution is LibraryThing, a similar service which is now free and also includes movies and music. The interface is simple but don’t be put off: this is a fantastic social network for readers. You can filter by tags, meaning organizing your collection is easy.
And if you prefer physical records, LibraryThing lets you print off your catalog!
You can use various cataloging apps, but one of the best is Collectorz. This covers many mediums, including films, books, and video games. It goes above and beyond, however: the comic book version, for instance, includes a library of graphic novels.
Access the library via the website, download the relevant software, or check out the app. This is a cloud-based system, so whichever elements you use, you simply need to sync them to check out the full range of your collection.
The app is particularly impressive: just scan the barcode or search for a title or series. It links up with the database, and lists publication details for everything in your library.
The best bit? Its filters are exceptional. Not only can you check whether you’ve got a particular edition and find gaps in your collection; Collectorz lets you add notes, so you can tell where you’ve filed a particular book or comic.
This definitely isn’t for everyone. But if you’re looking to make some space in your house, try converting to digital editions.
EReaders like Kindle or Kobo let you carry an entire library in your backpack. It’s an exciting notion, and increases accessibility. Imagine going on holiday and still having thousands of stories at your fingertips. Yes, even if you love physical books, there are still plenty of reasons to buy a Kindle.
You don’t have to do this for everything, of course. However, if you’re curious about some titles or a particular author, this is a decent way of testing the water before filling your shelves with physical books.
There isn’t enough space in your living room for all the novels you want to read. Sometimes, you have to consider the unthinkable: you need to get rid of some books. You could sell them on auction sites like eBay, or put them in storage using Makespace or a similar service.
But the best option is donating them to charity. You’re sharing knowledge—what can be better than that?
There are various sites where you can pass on your second-hand books. These include Books2Africa (which distributes to schools in Africa), Book Aid International (sharing publications among poverty-stricken areas), and Better World Books, which offers Drop Boxes across the US and UK.
While reading can be a very intimate activity, there’s a thriving community of readers to chat to and swap recommendations. The real trick is to make sure your “To Read” pile is bigger than your “Read” pile.
Check out our list of the best books of the year for more recommendations.