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What do you do with books you own after you've read them?
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I normally give them to the library or sell them to a used bookstore and some I take to the VA for patients or visitors to read.
I donate my books to my local library for their book sales. Some of the hard backs they will keep for their collection since cozies are often in demand.
I probably shouldn't answer this because I haven't done anything lately with the books I have bagged and ready to go somewhere, but...A few years ago I cleaned through my books and the bookshelves in the family room and donated them all to a local charity, VNSA (used to be the Visiting Nurse Service Auxiliary; now, the Volunteer Nonprofit Service Association), that holds a huge, once-a-year book sale. Monies benefit several local nonprofit organizations.
Since then, I've been good about bagging up what I've read, but have not been good about getting them out (YET, I swear!). My plan is to first take them to used book stores for cash or credit (to get more books!!). What they don't take will either go to the local libraries that support my habit or to the VNSA.
It's one thing about physical editions that make them superior to eDitions in my eyes. Right now, eDitions cannot be passed along when they've served their purpose. You may be able to lend the file, but you can't donate it to a library. I have several e-reader apps, but 99% of what I have access to (because one does not own eDitions) are freebies.
Either I donate books I've read to the library for their monthly book sale, save them to trade in at the used bookstore, or put them on my shelves to add to my collection.
I have ten bookcases jam-packed with books, plus several 6-ft long shelves stacked full of books in my bedroom closet. I've never been much of a book buyer for myself. My husband had a bookcase full of books when we got married 29 years ago, but I had only a few kids' books. He was the one who had to own books, even though he would only read each one once. He has bought or received as gifts quite a few books over the years. I've bought oodles of books over the years. I started buying them when my first kid was a baby and we had an almost-worthless public library down the street. There were hardly any children's books, and most of what the library had I wouldn't read to or let my children read. When my oldest kid was about six, I started going to the library of a nearby county, because it was so much better. I think I had to pay $20 per year, but I had access to so many books. I then only bought books for homeschooling that I would use over a long period, specific books suggested by curricula authors, very old, republished books, or books from a Christian worldview that the nearby libraries didn't have. I eventually moved to the nearby county with the fantastic library and would load up 3-4 tote bags per week to take home for my family to read. I'm quite sick of having so many books. I hate dusting them, and I’m tired of the clutter. I've given away books to the library over the last couple of years, but I've kept most to save for my kids, use with my kids who are still homeschooling, or lend to fellow homeschoolers. My husband hasn’t been willing to part with many of his own.
When items are donated to my local public libraries, librarians look over the donations and pick out any they want to add to the library's collection, and they give the rest to Friends of the Library (same thing with magazines, CD's, and DVD's). They also regularly cull items from the system that haven’t been checked out in a certain amount of time. That has to be done because they are constantly buying so many new items. My county's public library system has two branches, and each branch has an area set aside for Friends of the Library items for sale; if a patron wants an item, he takes it to the check-out desk to pay for it. Between the two branches, the Friends of the Library has had almost $32,000 in sales just this year. There is also an annual (semi-annual until last year) book sale at a different location, which brings in quite a lot of money. The one last month brought in nearly $15,000. My library system is a combined city/county system. Also, residents from the upper part of a neighboring county use my county’s library system, because it’s much closer than their county’s nearest library. Therefore, that county pays my county a large sum to allow its residents to use my county’s library (and that’s the way the residents want it). My community is very supportive of our library system. I read or was told by a librarian that while most other libraries in the country have received less money the past few years, our library system has received more.
My library buys a lot of ebooks and eaudios. It also has emagazines, emusic, and streaming video. It regularly wins awards for its services to patrons. When I asked a library employee why the library couldn’t get a book from a series in ebook version when the library had all the others in ebook and I asked about the costs of ebooks, I was told pretty much the same things as previous commenters about the special ebook policies and prices for libraries. So, I’m surprised that the Friends of the Library usually buys 150-250 ebooks per month, in addition to buying other electronic items, buying other items like hardcover books and DVD’s, and paying for various library programs. I feel very blessed to have a library that is able to offer so much to its patrons.
I buy books from the library book sales sometimes, and I sometimes donate the items back when I’m finished with them. I love ebooks (no dusting or clutter), but I don’t like to buy them. I’ve gotten more than 2000 free ebooks, since I daily check internet sites which include links to free ebooks. I’ve only bought two ebooks, and both of them were just 99 cents. I still check out ebooks from the public library, though.
Idonate them or just give away to others.I love to share books
jaxnsmom wrote: "I know some people keep all of their books, while others pass them to friends or donate them. What do you do?"I make a simple decision: Would I read this book again someday? If yes, it stays. If not, I sell or donate it. More often than not they stay because I am very particular when I make a purchase and usually end up with something to my liking. Some books are so memorable and fun that I will want to experience them again, and others I will probably forget completely...in twenty years it will be like reading a new book again! I have pulled out books I read in my late teens/early twenties and have no memory of them...and enjoy them all over again. I'm not sure if it is the passage of time or the result of my other leisure activities during my misspent youth!
M. wrote: "I make a simple decision: Would I read this book again someday? If yes, it stays. If not, I sell or donate it."I ask the same. However, more often than not mine go (or in my case, get bagged to go). I find with most books I'm one and done. Not that I couldn't or wouldn't read it/them again, but that I most likely wouldn't, even if it's a favorite author or series. I tend to hold on only to those books I so thoroughly enjoyed that I know I'd read or have read again (most anything by Donald E. Westlake, especially his Dortmunder series; much of Lawrence Block, especially his Bernie Rhodenbarr series; Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew, childhood memories;...). Those are the books I keep on my shelves and those I'd buy in e-format (if CHEAP!) in order to have them with me when I need emergency reading material. That is, books I can read again and again without ever getting tired of them.
For the past few years I've been really good about not buying new-to-me books (or not buying many!). I hit the libraries, brick-and-mortar and e, my own TBR boxes, e-freebies for the Nook and Kindle apps, etc. Rarely do I not have something new-to-me to read. If I pick up a repeat, it's usually only to hold me until I can get back to the TBR boxes, libraries, etc. With so much new to read, keeping lots of books around that I may read again seems silly. And, it would be lots because I like a lot of books.
I used to keep everything I bought. And, I was bad for so many years that I purchased series of books to read and never got to them. They just kept piling up as I read other books and bought more. As mentioned above, I cleaned out my bookshelves. Doing that and forcing myself to get through TBR boxes has not only saved me new monies, but forced me to be more discerning about what I buy and about what I keep around as clutter.
If it's in a series and I enjoy the author, I keep it to read later. There are some authors I enjoy their voice so much that reading their works is a pleasure. I often buy used books, so I return to my bookstore to keep it in business (they are disappearing so quickly.); the library, back to them of if I think someone I know will like the book, give it to her or him. Sometimes I donate an interesting good condition books to the library. Last week I gave a few for a women in prison program.
I am a book buyer. One of my greatest pleasures (and stress releaser) is to walk around (physically or on-line) book stores and browse. A few treasures I keep because I know I will read again and again. Most are donated to my local library for fund raising. A few also go to family and friends to enjoy.
Mod
A few years ago I cleaned through my books and the bookshelv..."
I'm still ROFL as I envision bags of books lined up against the walls, waiting, and waiting...
jaxnsmom wrote: "I'm still ROFL as I envision bags of books lined up against the walls, waiting, and waiting..."And waiting... At least if I bag them, they're off the shelves and end tables. Though, there are now books I've read waiting to be bagged and added to my new collection of bagged books sitting on both. I keep looking at them as if I will do something with them other than walking by the stacks every day thinking about doing something.
It's the curse of the reader!!!
I keep most of my mysteries, as I'm likely to go back to them at some time. I also keep reference and non-fiction. Most general fiction as well as duplicates go to libraries for book sales.
Donations to libraries, give away to family or friends. This is why I value my Nook and Kindle - one device and lots of storage!
June wrote: "If it's in a series and I enjoy the author, I keep it to read later. There are some authors I enjoy their voice so much that reading their works is a pleasure. I often buy used books, so I return t..."Is the prison program a local thing? How did you find out about it? That's a good idea I'd like to look into.
I keep very few books anymore. I recently moved to an apartment and got rid of almost all of my books. I donated to my library and turned in to my local used book store. At the bookstore I get credit that I can use for up to 50% off of future purchases.
I either swap them with Paperback Book Swap or someone I know in town, or donate them to the Friends of the Library Book Sale. We do that sale twice a year, plus the Beach Reads sale in the summer. That is why I only buy rare or expensive books as eBooks. If I can find it inexpensively in paperback, I get the physical book so I can trade it or donate it.
Our community just started one of those little book box trade kiosks(probably not the proper name for what they are)so mine will find a new home.
Mod
I've donated to my libraries and to the chemo center at the hospital. I'd like to donate to the Senior Center next.
Nancy wrote: "Our community just started one of those little book box trade kiosks(probably not the proper name for what they are)so mine will find a new home."Is this what you mean?
http://celynoir.com/blogs/2014/05/i-w...
Exactly, except ours is painted a stylish turquoise.
I have a large bedroom I converted to a library. I have about 2000 physical books and tons of Kindle books. The ones I don't keep I give to library since I frequent them often or trade on paperbackswap or trade them in at my Half Price bookstore. I also put some in the free book section at the senior center.
I keep any I really like and know I may want to read again someday. I donate any others. I don't actually buy all that many books, or I buy them on Kindle, because I live in a very small apartment.
I could no longer read paperback or hardcover novels, so they've been gone for awhile. I bought ereaders so that I could adjust the text to something I could read (large print books didn't work).As for ebooks and audiobooks, I do share them with family. I also have an 'extra' Ipod nano and Kindle reader that I load with audiobooks or ebooks and lend to a senior living place. Someone's grandson bought a docking station speaker for the nano, which helped a lot. There's about 15 seniors who share my Kindle and 3-4 who share the Nano. Been doing this for a little over 2 years now and it's been going well. This is all perfectly legal because I retain ownership of these devices and they are registered to my respective accounts. However, I recommend that you check any unit you will lend that you require passwords for accessing your account online.
Alana, just a note for you - If you turn off the wifi and don't connect your device to a computer at least a day before your library ebook will expire, you may be able to get 'free' time to finish your book. This works with a lot of libraries. Another option that some have tried is changing the date on their unit so that it leaves them an extra week and a half. The library still gets the ebook released, but you have a little more time to finish.
Mod
I usually try to post the books to Paperbackswap if I know it's a book that will be requested quickly. Otherwise, my work place has an annual Children's Hospital fundraiser for a whole month. Part of this fundraiser is a book sale. I will donate any books I no longer want to keep.
So many great ideas! I love the idea of loaning your Kindle and Nano to the Senior living place!And, donating your extra books to your library and Fundraiser's is a awesome idea!
I make constant use of my public library often reserving the newest titles. I am a dead tree reader and keep most of the books I buy because they are the ones you can read over and over. I have a collection of antique books and I love to look at the engravings that many have. I prefer hard back over paper back but will buy paper back for lighthearted reading. I do give those away to family and friends and ask them to pass them on when they are finished. Often retirement centers will take book donations to keep their reading stock fresh. I am not fond of E-books but will listen to an audio book when driving long distances.
If I don't add books I've read to my keeper shelf, I'll donate them to our local library for their book sale, or I will save them up to give away as a prize in one of my contests.
I keep all my books. I currently have around 2000 sitting on my numerous shelves and have no plans to get rid of any of them any time soon. I dont buy second hand books (and I am really trying not to sound snobby or rich or anything like that, of which I am neither of those things though I do wish i had a little more green in my pocket) and the only reason I dont buy them or go to stores like that is that the author never sees a penny of that money. Sales are what allow authors to continue writing. I feel the same way about video games and movies and music as well. I really am not trying to come off in a bad way, I have lots of friends who buy second hand, I have a husband who buys second hand and I am totally ok with that. If a book were out of print and I couldnt get my hands on it I would absolutely look to picking it up second hand (only after checking to see if it was available in ebook) but fortunatly for me that hasnt happened. I have found that I am not buying as many books as I used to. at least not for me. now that i have 2 kiddos most of my book money goes to buying books for them. I have a huge TBR pile though so that works. I do use the library, though for what ever reason I can never borrow ebooks. and I know this will sound super weird but sometimes i borrow a book from the library even if I own it because I dont want to read my shiny new copy. But thats only for certain authors who I covet...
I understand what you're saying about the author not getting any money for the 2nd hand purchases. However, they don't get any money when you borrow from the library either, other than the initial cost the library pays for the book. Oh well! I don't use the library, though I know I should, but I do buy used books. I usually buy them when it's an author I'm not sure I'll like. If I like them then I usually will buy their books new after that, but not always. Books get more expensive all the time, so I only buy books new that I know I'm going to read.
I too buy all my books new (except for a huge book-buying binge I just went on while I was on vacation in the US - all FOTL and UBS's. SO much fun!), and keep 90% of them. It's not an issue of wealth or snobbishness, you don't sound that way at all. For me, in fact, it's the opposite: it makes more economic sense for me to buy the books new from bookdepository.com then it does for me to buy them used here in Australia, because used books here are the same price new ones are overseas. Our public libraries are very nice, but I don't read genres that are mainstream here (not a lot of cozies for example).I'd love to buy used (see book-buying binge above) and if I ever move back to the States, I'm gonna be the FOTL's best friend, but I'll still always buy new books because there are a lot of authors whose books I want while they're still warm from the presses. I'm fortunate that my husband and I don't struggle (much), and that my only vice or expensive habit is book buying. But UBS's and Library sales are great for finding books I'd never pick up otherwise (risk .25 cents on a book I've never heard of but looks good? SURE!), or upgrading beloved paperbacks to hardcovers, or filling in gaps in a series that has ended.
It's one of the true beauties of books in print, isn't it? That a book can lead many lives and travel great distances over time and that a single copy can pass through the hands of so many?
❂ Jennifer (reviews on BookLikes) wrote: "I too buy all my books new (except for a huge book-buying binge I just went on while I was on vacation in the US - all FOTL and UBS's. SO much fun!), and keep 90% of them. It's not an issue of we..."I might not be showing any intelligence here but was is FOTL? I figure UBS is used bookstore.
I do love that I can lend out my books, or that the neighbor kids and our friends come over to browse through and borrow books if they want, then when I go to read books again I can think of the others who have read them and enjoyed them.
Lindsay wrote: "I might not be showing any intelligence here but was is FOTL? I figure UBS is used bookstore..."Sorry about that - I was being lazy about typing out "Friends of the Library". They have such incredible book sales and where I'm from in FL, they are open 5 days a week with a permanent little "shop" in the front of the Library.
My books are like family to me. I just buy more bookcases to put them in. Although I love kindle because books are more affordable - I hate that I don't have something to put on the shelf. My library is made up of mostly mystery books - have over 1000 at last count, not including the 200 or so on my kindle. Isn't there a program for people like me? Bookaholics non-anonymous (because we shout our favorite books & authors from the rooftops.
Patti wrote: "My books are like family to me. I just buy more bookcases to put them in. Although I love kindle because books are more affordable - I hate that I don't have something to put on the shelf. My libra..."I'm the same way. I just keep adding books to my bookshelves and rearranging my books to make everything fit.
My books are like family as well. I am sad right now as I am slowly packing everything up to move. And of course when we started looking at homes the realtor was told that I needed a space that I could put them.
Cozy Mystery Corner
Authors mentioned in this topic
Donald E. Westlake (other topics)Lawrence Block (other topics)
Carolyn Keene (other topics)
My apartment complex is full of readers. People tend to leave their books in the laundry room for others to take and enjoy.
I've always described (most) cozies as books you can read to your grandmother and not get embarrassed. And that's what I do with the cozies I buy and finish. There's a nursing home three blocks from my apartment and I donate them there. There are four seniors that I currently read to and all of them love cozies. One blind woman told me that having cozies read to her makes her feel young again. She feels involved with the stories and pictures herself in the middle of them and being productive. Isn't that the best answer?
As for audio books, I do love them but they have to be read very well. The Cat Who... books by Lillian Jackson Braun are read BRILLIANTLY! I love listening to those as I go for walks around the lakes near where I live.