How do you decide what books to buy and which ones to leave un-bought? You might be thinking, “Well, you can’t have too many books, can you?” Yes, I kind of agree with that statement. But oftentimes you have limited space and limited money in which to store and use on books. So which books should you buy?
I’ve thought about this, as I am a big spender of money on books. But I have limited space, and as the bookshelves have steadily continued to fill, I’ve had to think this through. I think I’ve boiled it down into a few qualities a book needs to have before you spend your money and shelf-space on it.
For Books You Have Already Read
I usually read a book on kindle or listen to it on audio before I spend money on it. Here are three things to consider before buying a book you’ve already read. I think that a book you’ve read before should have at least one of these three qualities.
Is it re-readable? Is this book you’re considering buying re-readable? Is it a book you can re-read every few years? If not, then it’ll likely just gather dust on your shelves.
Will it serve others? Sometimes I buy a book because I think that there will be a lot of people in my life who would love and enjoy it. Do you have friends who you will lend this to? Will your kids enjoy it someday?
Do you really, really love this book? If you really, really love this book then I would buy it. If it’s something you really love then you’ll almost definitely re-read it and share it with others.
For Books You Haven’t Read Yet
I very rarely buy a book before I read it. You never know; you might not like it, so why buy it before you can be certain? There’s definitely some risk in spending money on something you may not like, but here are a few things to keep in mind before buying a book you haven’t read.
Is it by an author you’ve really liked in the past? If it’s by an author you know well and have enjoyed before, then it’s usually safer to buy something they’ve written.
Is this book a deal? Is this book for three dollars at a garage sale and looks like a good read? You can always donate a book you don’t like. If this book would usually be fifteen dollars or more on Amazon, then I would buy it.
Is it a book you really think you’re going to enjoy? Do you really think this is a book you’re going to love? Maybe think twice before buying it if you’re not sure.
I hope that these tips help you to create a home library that serves you and others as well as possible.
OOh! A home library would be soo fun! Mabey we should share books with each other that are readable!😃
You made excellent points, Emma! Do you ever offer your services to help someone, who has shelves full of books in every room of their house, organize them into one room designated as a library?