Frugal Private Libraries?

[peanut]

I'm not sure where to put this. But one of my hobbies is creating a private library specific to my needs in a frugal manner. Does anyone share this hobby?

I think it's an outgrowth of my enjoyment of reading and writing. But also it was borne of necessity. I am interested in some pretty specialized areas and find resources lacking in the local public library, and university library, and even on the Internet.

I use Interlibrary Loan a lot. But find it frustrating that the loan periods are so short and there are limited renewals. Often it is much easier to buy the book secondhand on Amazon or somewhere...especially if it's a reference book I know I'll use over and over.

I pick up books secondhand for the most part, but also at deep discounts. I will occasionally buy one at an elevated price if I cannot find it anywhere else. though I have made some bad spontaneous purchasing decisions that way the last year. I am working on that. DH has my credit cards right now.

This year I found I needed to catalogue my books. I bought 2 I already had, by mistake! One was out on loan to someone and one was lost. I decided I needed an organization system. Enter Readerware...

Readerware is a program recommended by Oprah for keeping track of books. I've been entering books in it bit by bit for months...well...there's been a lot of breaks. I have over 1500 books entered now. That's about half the books in the house.

I lost steam on doing the other half. They're in the basement. The desktop computer is 2 floors up. No way was I carrying them up two flights of stairs! But DH came to the rescue!

Last weekend he agreed to buy me a new laptop. I am delighted! I have my laptop up and running and am taking it down to the books to catalogue them where they are. Yippee!

Any other bibliophiles out there?

[monkeywrangler71]

I use a program called Bookpedia, which is probably only for Mac. I keep the database itself in an online storage site (Dropbox) so I can access it from both the desktop and the laptop. I have a mobile version so I can check it while I'm at the bookstore.

One thing that happened when I was cataloguing, I ended up getting rid of books that I really didn't care for. Some just weren't worth the effort of typing them in. If I hadn't been cataloguing them I probably would have kept them despite not caring about them.

I have no tips about building a frugal private library. There is nothing frugal about mine, we spend a lot of money on books.

[peanut]

I hear you about culling them as you catalogue them. I've got rid of some that way too.

I never heard of bookpedia before. I just bought a MacBookPro and transferred Readerware to it. I'm trying it out now to make sure it functions alright. It's basically designed for PCs. We'll see...

I buy a lot of my books at the library book sale if I just want them for information. If I want a nice copy I can sometimes get it by going straight to the author. Especially if it's hard to find elsewhere...as a lot of my books are.

I hear you about money though. Even with my secondhand book buying I'm sure I spend about $500CAD a year on books...maybe more. My real limitation is space. DH is a librarian and would prefer I use the library rather than store books at home. But he knows they don't have the books I need for my other hobbies and interests. So he's happy to let me have some in the house...just not a lot! His mother had a 10,000 volume collection when she had to leave her home.

[dcompton]

I've basically gone the other way! I had my big Kindle collection in a database. I didn't like that. So I went to a simpler spreadsheet. I also didn't like that. I didn't like being tied to a computer for it, and I always wondered if everything had been put in. I decided all I really needed was a list, and the last few weeks I've transferred it all to the old fashioned 3x5 cards. Author name, and I can list multiple titles on the cards, with a little space by each to rate and note if it's a discard.

I find this just works better for me. Most of my computer time is at work, and now I don't have to crank up the one at home to make a note or add a new title.

[frugalfranny]

Haven't cataloged them.........and I have bought double of 'reading books' but so far not of my resource books. I keep a printed list in my purse.........that is it.

My 'reading books' are always cheap.......25 cents from library sale. Some of my quilt books no so much.

[TheRootedNomad]

While I've never wanted a big luxery house I have always dreamed of a private library like you see in the movies or read about, only on a a smaller scale then what you normally see. While I don't have a collection big enough to catalouge at the moment I do have a running list of books I want to add to my own collection on top of the lists of ones I just want to read.

[TheresaRHPS]

I've been amassing a library of paranormal books, and local history books. I like to have my own copies because I'm constantly needing to look things up, make notes, etc. It's nice having it all available 24/7. Also, this area just simply doesn't have a lot of those books available at the library, or even the bookstores.

I discussed this in another thread a few days ago, but I get a lot of my books from library book sales, second-hand stores, Amazon---through my Swag Bucks gift cards, and the occasional Border's acquisition. Once in awhile, I'll pick up something from the local genealogy society. I used to use Paperback Swap and Book Mooch a lot, too. I'd pick up a super cheap copy of a highly wish listed book, and then use that point to get something in MY genre that is harder to get where I live.

As of right now, I use Library Thing to help categorize what I have. I like the ability to be able to put my books in "collections." I can easily tag those that I have loaned out to clients, and sort by category.

[Judi Dial]

Two or three comments: I and most of the bookdealers I know use FileMaker. However, that means you design your form, etc. I don't know about ready to use software as mine had to also track profit margins, customer requests, etc.

Secondly, one of the cheapest way to get books is from your local used bookseller. If you haven't become friends with them, you are missing some great deals. Look for antiquarian/used booksellers directories for your state.

Most used booksellers will keep "want lists" on file. If they know you'll buy something when they get it, they will frequently mark things up less because they know that you'll purchase the book in a timely manner. (The average book stays on the shelf of a used bookstore for a year...that means you have to pay for that space...for a year!) Of course, if your local bookseller is a romance pb dealer and you want 19th century chemistry books, that won't work. Also, that means that you have to make sure the dealer has a current want list, or they'll get you a book you already have, you won't want it, and they'll be stuck with it...the next time they find you a book, they'll think twice before buying it on your behalf and may try and recover the costs of the previous book too, so the 2nd book will be more expensive.

Look in bookhunterpress.com's list of dealers by specialty. Yes the really yummy stuff in your area of interest is likely to be higher...these folks have the customers who will pay real money for (whatever). On the other hand, you can give them the same want list you give your local used bookseller and tell them that "Reading copies with full, readable text blocks are acceptable." What this tells the bookseller is that the copy of the 19th century chemistry book without its cover, that he can only otherwise sell for its plates can still be sold as a book. Most dealers prefer selling books as books, rather than as "busters" that is, books sold to be taken apart for their plates.

Thirdly, and I do this... if I'm interested in a book and I've never seen it. I get a copy (if available) thru interlibrary loan. If after looking at it I decide to buy it, then I look up what it is being offered for online, and go from there.

IHTH!

Judi

[peanut]

Thanks Judi! I have a used bookseller near me. DH dreads it when I go visit I think. I always come out with at least one book. I didn't know about the want lists though. I think I'll amble up and talk to the guy and see if he'll take one and keep an eye out for some books for me.

Not a lot of people have the type of books I look for. It's specialized fibre arts/embroidery/spinning/dyeing/rug hooking non-fiction genre. I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised to go up there one day and find a Sally Melville book in mint condition selling for $4! But most of my interests are things like hardanger embroidery (advanced levels), dyeing (advanced levels)...not beginner stuff. I can find beginner stuff at any bookstore. I'm interested in the more advanced material for serious practitioners of the crafts I'm interested in. And yes, some of these books can only be found used at exorbitant prices. I do have a want list already...hmmm...time to print it off and take it up to show my used bookstore owner...

[craftypam]

I love books and have alot of them. I buy little to no fiction because I feel I can get them at the library, read them, and return them. I also get books out of the library or interloan and check them out before buying them. Thanks for the information about cataloging them because I have bought duplicates. Keeping life simple is one of them; LOL.
I also like the idea of going through my books to catalog and getting rid of some that I'm no longer interested in owning.

Thanks for this thread

[NikoSan999]

I'd love to see your books. It must be amazing. Love to have a library but not going to happen. You should post pix.

[Judi Dial]

It's specialized fibre arts/embroidery/spinning/dyeing/rug hooking non-fiction genre. I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised to go up there one day and find a Sally Melville book in mint condition selling for $4! But most of my interests are things like hardanger embroidery (advanced levels), dyeing (advanced levels)...not beginner stuff. I can find beginner stuff at any bookstore. I'm interested in the more advanced material for serious practitioners of the crafts I'm interested in. And yes, some of these books can only be found used at exorbitant prices. .

Also, I forgot this...try Book Sale Finder to find your local library sales. The season is nearly over, but...

If I were you, I'd look on bookhunterpress.com's specialty index and see who is nearby I might have missed that might have what you're looking for. You're right, there's a ready market for those sort of books, and almost every bookseller would know that.

For that matter, I'll keep my eye out for you myself! I used to run a "search" service (serviced want lists) mostly sf/f, but I'm happy to look for almost any kind of book. I'll PM you my email and if you want, you can email me your want list and I'll see what I can do. No promises, but you never know!

Good luck --

Judi

[peanut]

I emailed you Judi. Right now my want list is a mess. gotta clean it up a bit...

I'd post pics of my library except it's all over the house! I have bookcases in every room, and I like it that way! DH just shakes his head. But I can't live without books...

I spent this morning culling one small 2'x2' bookcase and managed to say goodbye to half a dozen books and a whole raft of those Solitudes CDs that were taking up valuable book space. Gotta make room for more books...

We're moving books around again. Looks like we'll have a renter in our near future. I have a 2'x3' bookcase I want to empty for her use. I am doing the great book shuffle here.

On the other hand, going through all those books makes me want to read more of them again...or for the first time. I inherited a lot of psychology books that look really interesting. Some are a bit old. But it's good classic literature in its field. Still, I'm getting rid of the paperbacks that are falling to pieces...

[peanut]

Walked up to the local used bookstore today and asked the guy if I could leave him a want list. He was quite enthusiastic. Said 'sure!'. So I will do up a proper one and give it to him sometime this week.

[peanut]

Worked on my want list today. It's way too long. I'm going to have to narrow it down a bit. Maybe ILL some books first...if I can. Then decide if I really want to own them.