How to Organize Your Home Library
You may have bought or acquired many books over the years, either from bookstores or as presents for special occasions. You want to read a particular book, but you can’t seem to find that book on the stacks you keep on the table or the top of the dresser. No matter how many books you own, organizing your home library can make finding books easier and faster.
Buy a Proper Bookshelf
Organizing your home library starts with a proper bookshelf. If you keep your books in stacks on a desk or on the floor, it becomes very difficult to find a book you want to read. You don’t have to buy a heavy and expensive bookshelf from an antique shop; many department stores sell inexpensive but durable bookshelves and bookcases made from wood or plastic. Make sure that the shelf is big enough to hold all of your books.
Arranging Books
Arranging your books in a convenient order makes looking for a particular book easier and faster. It will take some time for you to organize all of your books, but the time and effort you spend arranging books can speed up the time you spend looking for a novel or an encyclopedia volume. Here are some ways to arrange books in your home library:
home library
Books by author. If you have collections of books from different authors, you can arrange them by the author of the text. Arranging books by the author’s last name is convenient if you have a collection of novels or texts written by one author.
Books by topic. For academic and technical texts, arranging books by topic is great if you need ready references. Arranging books by topic is very useful and convenient if you have a large collection of books and references in your library.
Books by name. Arranging your books in alphabetical order is especially useful if you have a small collection of texts. As your collection grows, though, you need to reorganize your books
Maintaining Order
Once you have arranged your books, you should make sure that they stay arranged. Here are some ways to keep your books organized after you have arranged them:
Once you’ve read or finished a book, always put it back on the shelf where you found it.
Always keep your books upright, with the spine facing outward, to preserve the leaves and pages of the book.
Use book-ends to keep your books upright.
If you have time, cover your books with plastic wrap to keep the covers from warping and gathering mold.
No matter how many books you own, organizing them is an important step to building your home library. With these tips, you’ll never have to dig through a pile of books to look for a particular text again.