What did you do with your paper books?

[Helen]

Book spending is important after all!

[John]

Space is limited and I have lots of signed books - right now they're in storage. Kindle is so much easier.

[Loren]

I'm starting to realize personally that even though I am cutting back on my paper book spending the Kindle basically gives me two places to splurge on books :-p

[Grace]

I had the same moment of horror as Ashley (msg 101) - worst case scenario = What if there was a power cut, I had to stay home...and my Kindle battery was flat.
I love my kindle and wont be parted...but just in case I'll keep a healthy pile of DTB.

[Helen]

Imagine the horror of nothing to read!

[Kris]

I still buy and read paperbacks. If a paperback comes along at the right price or if I have a voucher for a book shop, I tend to buy.

[Sanna]

I'm probably still going to get paperbacks as long as they are cheaper than the kindle version. That might change when kindle works with library books. Love the kindle to read all the free content as well as foreign language books that would cost quite a bit to get here from abroad.

[John]

Sanna wrote: "I'm probably still going to get paperbacks as long as they are cheaper than the kindle version. That might change when kindle works with library books. Love the kindle to read all the free content ..."

but most paper books are more expensive than the Kindle version

[Judy]

John wrote: "Sanna wrote: "I'm probably still going to get paperbacks as long as they are cheaper than the kindle version. That might change when kindle works with library books. Love the kindle to read all the..."

Not at garage sales!

[John]

very good

[Helen]

The re-buying option for the unread paper books is what keeps calling me. I bought The Book Thief but the text is tiny so now I'm tempted to buy the kindle version.

[Stacey Jo]

Many of my paperbacks I have sold on eBay because they were entire series and then I used that money to buy ebooks for my Kindle.

[Laurel]

I'm new here, so apologies if this has already been posted... but I highly recommend you try BookCrossing (http://www.bookcrossing.com) if you're looking for something to do with your paper books. In a nutshell, BookCrossing is a web site where you can register your books, release the registered books "into the wild," and then receive a message when someone finds the book and logs their find on the web site. It's a lot of fun on all sorts of levels... give it a try!

[Mimi]

I just joined and this's a great topic. I donate my paperbacks to The Friends of the Library and they sell these books for fundraising for my local library. With the budget cut in many States, Libraries more than ever depend on donated funds. So, donate your books to your local Friends of the library.

[Anne]

Most of our books are still on our bookshelf, except our "keepers" were moved to the top shelf. These are our favorite, favorite books, and signed books that we know we will never part with. The rest are up for grabs - if we can ever manage to reach that point where we feel ready to part with them. I imagine that happening when we decide to move! We'll still always have some physical books, and if we read something we really love, we'll get a physical copy of it. I still like to visually see our favorite books on display.

[Felicia]

I won't give my paperback books away. I still enjoy the feel of paper in my hands. I like being able to see more than one page at a time.
I do enjoy ordering the free books. I especially enjoy being able to download a book immediately without going to a store (saves gas!) but still nothing compares to the real thing. I hope they never do away with paperbacks.

[Trent]

kept them and donated

[Jessica]

Some I keep, some I get in both ebook and paper. I'm still trying to figure out how to pare down the paper books though.

[Colin]

I'm still working my way through the last of my DTB TBR pile!

DTBs for reading in bed, Kindle books for the train.

I hope to have my DTB TBR pile done by Christmas (it's big)!

[Felicia]

I don't think my TBR pile will ever be finished! I go to blogs and comment all the time and I've won some amazing ebooks. Now I need more time to read them!

[Ashley]

Felicia wrote: "I don't think my TBR pile will ever be finished! I go to blogs and comment all the time and I've won some amazing ebooks. Now I need more time to read them!"

So jealous! I never win any of the ones I join!

[Raymond]

I am keeping my DTB's for my kids to enjoy - although the newer generations do seem more technically inclined to use a Kindle / Nook / iPad / etc.

Hmm ... might be time to consider donating some books.

[Sandra (I don't read, I devour.)]

I'm working on getting the books I really love in a nice hard-back version, culling my already culled two book cases down to one and getting the other books on kindle.

It could be a while. The economy has bitten me in the arse lol

[Helen]

Yes, I think that I will be converting to kindle on old must keep paper backs but will have to keep enough to read in the event of some catastrophe.

[Anthony]

I was happy to give my paper books away. I find that, unlike me, the public library has a wonderful system for organizing books if there's something I absolutely must read on paper. I could never find the books I thought I had anyway.

[Frederick]

I guess we all grew up with bound books and I just wouldn't feel right if all the bookshelves were empty or gone. I love just having them there, all the books I've read and a lot that I haven't gotten around to yet, plus books by a few friends, signed editions, special books. The Kindle has many advantages -- so many advantages I published my own book on it, too -- but apart from a little weeding and culling I am still keeping all my old printed books on the shelves. We can have virtual friendships nowadays, but I couldn't live without real friendships, either (what's the acronym for real friends?)

[Cate]

I have some favorites and series that I bought in paperback so I am keeping those. With all the others I lend to friends, swap online, and after that they go to the public library for their annual sale.

I have bought a few favorites when they have gone on promotional sale so I can have them wherever I go.

[Nikki]

I have three overflowing bookcases full of paperback and hardback books. I love to read in any format! I do donate or trade my paper books when I am finished unless it's a favorite that I will read over and over again.

[Horror]

I keep them never can tell if we might have an apocalypse. :)

[Felicia]

There is nothing better than having a paper book. Can't autograph an ebook, at least not yet! :)

[Vicki]

I kept a lot of my books, but I've had a lot of eye surgeries/challenges and it had become very difficult to read on paper. I got a Kindle and my world came back to me (I'm a writer, so not reading was really hard; I love books!) After almost four years of not being able to read more than 3 or 4 pages at a time, I can read an entire book.

I not only love my Kindle, I am so grateful for it I could weep.

Some will say that's melodramatic. Honest, it's not. It's fact.

Blessings,

Vicki

[Frederick]

Vicki, I'm so happy for you. The Kindle really makes reading easier for those of us with eye issues. I've also started using text-to-voice. It takes some getting used to -- like the voice mispronouncing the name of one of my main characters! But it enables "reading" while cooking or exercising or whatever. That's huge.
Doing Max Vinyl

[Helen]

I like there being other happy souls in the world that not only expect an apocalypse but assume we will read our books despite it! Some of my weightier books will surely defend me from zombies/aliens etc!

[Frederick]

Helen -- when I lock the door at the end of the night I always check for zombies outside. So far so good ...

[Shari]

When I moved two years ago, I packed up some of my books, gave some away, and got rid of all my bookshelves (I knew I was going to be storing everything I owned for several months).
I've never unpacked my books. They're still in the boxes in my basement. I keep thinking I need to take them to the book sale/drive they have on campus at the college where I work, but that means lugging them up the stairs LOL.

[Vicki]

Frederick wrote: "Vicki, I'm so happy for you. The Kindle really makes reading easier for those of us with eye issues. I've also started using text-to-voice. It takes some getting used to -- like the voice misprono..."

Thanks, Frederick. :) I'm happy for you too. I've used that feature also, and it's not perfect, you're right. But it's amazing how little the imperfections matter when in a pinch.

[Vicki]

If you're getting rid of your paper books, remember your local public library. Tons of people use the library and they've had budget slashes, not just cuts. The ones they can use in the system will be helpful to many. The ones they can't, they can sell and raise funds.
That's so needed right now.

[Larry]

Being multi-generational (smile, getting old) I have thousands of printed books. However, Kindle is helping me reacquaint myself with old friends that I read as a youngster during hundreds of library visits. Pals like James Fenimore Cooper, Charles Dickens and H.G. Wells. I was an avid reader long before I could afford to buy books.

[Renee]

I couldnt wait to get rid of all those books, so many. But i read them all. I gave them to my daughter who also loves to read. But now she has a kindle too but she kept the books.

[Larry]

And technology marches on. From papyrus scrolls to monks hand-lettering books to the printing press and now electronic readers. Think about it. We've just entered a new age and while paper books may never completely disappear, EBooks now make books available to far more readers than ever before, including the visually impaired, those living in poverty and/or simply those with few quality reading sources such as libraries or large bookstores. As a writer it's tremendously exciting.

[Helen]

I want my kindle to display those beautiful letters at the start of a page. Wonder if Amazon could hire monks.

[Michaeleen]

I still personally own quite a lot of regular books! There is honestly nothing better then the smell of dusty/old pages to me :P I like the kindle for the portability, of course, and the ease of getting the book RIGHTNOW. Still love regular books more though (don't tell my boyfriend, he is the one who bought my kindle for me for Christmas haha).

[Betsy]

Dr S wrote: "As I understand, no author can add their own book and their own html. "

Actually, I don't believe there is a restriction on an author adding his/her own book in a comment. But if you believe the author is overdoing things, e.g. posting many comments with his/her book linked, then you can flag the comments and maybe the author (I'm not sure).

[Betsy]

Helen wrote: "I want my kindle to display those beautiful letters at the start of a page. Wonder if Amazon could hire monks."

I'm with you Helen. I've always loved those.

[Debbie]

My hubby and I have been collecting books for 37 years. We tend to like sci-fi fantasy authors who write very long series. Since we bought hardback versions as soon as they came out, in most cases, we will keep those, and buy any new book in the series in hardback as well. Since our children like many of the same authors, I figure they will get to split up the library some day. There are new series that we are buying just on Kindle now, though. And I love being able to get some of the classics I've never read, and discovering what I missed. But, books are a big part of our decor, and the house wouldn't be our home without them.

[Frederick]

Helen wrote: "I want my kindle to display those beautiful letters at the start of a page. Wonder if Amazon could hire monks."

Helen, I think this is a lovely idea.

[Helen]

We'll have to start a campaigne - illuminated letters for kindles!

[Clare K. R.]

But you can get illuminated letters on your Kindle! Just keep putting it to sleep until you get to the right screen saver ;)

[Betsy]

I had a traumatic experience the other day. I love owning books as well as reading them and have always hoarded them. When I moved into my condo (less than 800 sq. ft.), I had to get rid of a lot and that was tough. But I still kept a lot, too. I have bookshelves in every room, even the bathroom, although the bathroom only has a few actual books. But I've been feeling crowded and as full as my space is it's easy to get cluttered, so I decided to clear out some more books. Especially since I read almost exclusively on the Kindle these days.

Getting rid of books I've already read is tough enough, but the other day I decided to tackle one of my TBR bookshelves. All paperbacks, all of which I bought fully intending to read, before I got my Kindle. So I was sorting through trying to decide what I could get rid of and it was tough. But here are these books I've owned for about 5 years without reading. Most were romance or fantasy which I rarely read anymore, so I forced myself to be ruthless and I managed to box up almost all of them and take them down to Goodwill. But it was painful.

[Broadway]

I'm too cheap to rebuy all my paperbacks. xD The reason I got a kindle was to save money. I still keep all my paperback books around. It's nice if I ever want to reread them. I haven't totally forsaken tangible books. xD If I really like a book, I prefer to have it in paperback.