After we've read them...

[Tom]

Hi! Tom here in West Michigan. I'm part of a local gay mens reading group and we are looking for ways to pass on the novels we have read. The gay community centers in the area all seem to be doing away with their libraries for various reason such as the need for space, the changing technology of reading, etc. Any ideas? Basically these are books written by gay writers on gay topics. So what do you do with your books after you have read them?

[Bill, Moderator]

Welcome Tom!

You could certainly create reviews or discussions here on Queereaders. In fact we need someone to start and organize monthly group reads for our group. You could also start your own GoodReads group for this purpose. Other social media is also possible. I think facebook would be best for this purpose. Whatever you do, you'll need to promote a new group for it to become valuable.

What do I do with books I've read. For the 6+ decades I've been reading, I can't ever remembering throwing away a book. I keep them all, many in boxes in the attic. On my physical bookshelves, I keep those I want to reread some day and unread book, over a thousand and counting.

I also have a lot of books on a Kindle and an iPad. Most of these are unread. I have trouble reading in an electronic format—old dogs, new tricks...

What kind of books do you like to read?

[Brian]

I keep mine, and when I inadvertently end up with doubles I give one away.

While I'm in NJ now I was born and raised in Michigan

[Bill]

The library in my town accepts donations of used books and has an area set aside where it resells them. I've given quite a few over the years; only saving books I think I may reread at some point.

[Tom]

Thanks for your responses! OutFront Kalamazoo accepted our extra and excess copies. I’m keeping all those I would like to reread. And I have a growing pile of “to be read” novels. But now my library shelves and desk top are less cluttered...for a while.
I just finished The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne. This is definitely a book I’m keeping and rereading. Probably a topic on another thread, but I’m tempted to subscribe to Audible Audiobooks just to listen/have Stephen Hogan read this book to me. A fellow in our book group swears by listening and reading along on the page. Seems like overkill in a way but pretty heavenly also.
Then there is the friend who has given up completely on physical books. He only reads, voraciously, on his Kindle. I’m not ready to go there.
Tom

[Eugene]

I keep most of mine. Someone snarkily commented that I had the Library of Congress in one of my bedrooms. I give the few exceptions either to thrift stores or to the library in the break room at work.

[John]

Something to consider if you don't have a local library interested in your books is donation to the Quatrefoil Library in Minneapolis (https://www.qlibrary.org/support/dona... ). And if you're near London, Gays the Word has the most marvellous collection of used books for sale. No doubt they'd appreciate books you can't shelve any longer.

[Tom]

John: Thanks for the link to the Quatrefoil Library. It looks like a fantastic resource, and something I definitely would like to support.