Paper books as collectible objects

[crich70]

I know what you mean about the 'space' issue. I also have the dream of the large library with fireplace and window seat.

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

I wish I could continue to collect books in paper form, but for me it's purely the space issue. I would love to have a Victorian era library with a fireplace and comfy chair and wall to celing bookshelves, but alas we just don't have the spare room. My friends all love my 505 though...they don't shudder at the thought of helping me move anymore.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by jeffcobb

I have some autographed volumes by people no one here would care about that I cherish and will always keep (and NEVER lend out; I have lost more books that way than Star Trek lost security guards beaming down to planets)...but as a rule, having moved so much that comes with my trade, the ebook is king.

Did the lost books have red dust jackets?

[jeffcobb]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Did the lost books have red dust jackets?

Heh. I can honestly say they were all read. Sorry that was bad...


Of course moving around in the Army for 8 years and two divorces and finally having to squeeze a 4 BR house into a 2 BR apartment in SF help thin out my belongings (along with my bank account).

[brainycat]

I just got my books from my ex's place last weekend. As I was lugging them to and from the truck, I realized that some of these books have been through 3 or 4 moves in the last 15 years - and hadn't been opened more than once or twice that whole time.

I thought about why I was hanging on to them, and I realized they'd ceased to be tomes in and of themselves, but instead they felt like "certificates of completion". I decided I didn't need them any more; I know I read them, I got what I got out of them already and if I haven't looked at them in years, I'm probably not going to again.

I went through my entire collection with the goal of winnowing it down to just one bookshelf's worth. I was able to do it, and I have 5 boxes of paperbacks that I'll take to Books to Prisoners and another 5 boxes of hardbacks I'll donate locally.

And I feel much, much better for it too.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by brainycat

I just got my books from my ex's place last weekend. As I was lugging them to and from the truck, I realized that some of these books have been through 3 or 4 moves in the last 15 years - and hadn't been opened more than once or twice that whole time.

I thought about why I was hanging on to them, and I realized they'd ceased to be tomes in and of themselves, but instead they felt like "certificates of completion". I decided I didn't need them any more; I know I read them, I got what I got out of them already and if I haven't looked at them in years, I'm probably not going to again.

I went through my entire collection with the goal of winnowing it down to just one bookshelf's worth. I was able to do it, and I have 5 boxes of paperbacks that I'll take to Books to Prisoners and another 5 boxes of hardbacks I'll donate locally.

And I feel much, much better for it too.

I hung onto my books so I could read them again when I retired. I'm retired now and I've started rereading them.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by brainycat

I thought about why I was hanging on to them, and I realized they'd ceased to be tomes in and of themselves, but instead they felt like "certificates of completion".

Excellent comment and you are right !

[Sweetpea]

For me, ebooks only replaced the mass market pockets. Though, I've never been able to do away with books, not selling, not giving away. Luckily, I don't have a space problem and even will have more space for books when we're done rebuilding.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

With the most recent ebooks I've obtained, I've gone back online and found high-res versions of the covers to replace the low-res, often generic covers attached to the ebook. After attaching a smaller version of the hi-res cover, I also keep the full-sized hi-res in a graphics file. That way I can enjoy the covers whenever I want.

Being that I am running out of space for books, I am perfectly happy buying nothing but ebooks, and I'm always on the lookout for ways to convert the rest of my collection to electronic files and remove an entire wall of books and magazines from my shelves. If I could, I'd ditch almost all of the paper books, and keep only a few select books as mementos. I think paper books as collectibles, and ebooks for daily and regular use, is the future of books, and I can't wait for it to get here.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

...Being that I am running out of space for books, I am perfectly happy buying nothing but ebooks, and I'm always on the lookout for ways to convert the rest of my collection to electronic files and remove an entire wall of books and magazines from my shelves. If I could, I'd ditch almost all of the paper books, and keep only a few select books as mementos...

I'm in the process of doing that right now. It's a lot of work!

[darknessangel]

@OP You're not the only one. I would like to have bound versions of my favourite books. However right now due to personal circumstances it is not a very wise move for me to make. I also like antiquities so I look forward to get my stable place and start buying old books =D

[ManosHandsOfFate]

I tend to keep books for which I feel some nostalgia. One they start to overflow my bookshelves or I'm required to become overly creative in the way I stack them on the shelves, then it's time for some of them to go.

[jezebel]

I have a LOT of art books, also archaeology and other beautifully illustrated books. They are big and take up quite a bit of space. I would probably be willing to part with many some a few one or two if I could replace them with high res full color versions and a high quality viewer if I could ever afford it.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by jezebel

I have a LOT of art books, also archaeology and other beautifully illustrated books. They are big and take up quite a bit of space. I would probably be willing to part with many some a few one or two if I could replace them with high res full color versions and a high quality viewer if I could ever afford it.

quite likely those books were expensive in their own right. consider adding an expensive device to read them (iPad ?) and then purchase the electronic equivalent of the book; and it's a price perhaps more than one would be willing to pay ?

[darknessangel]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

quite likely those books were expensive in their own right. consider adding an expensive device to read them (iPad ?) and then purchase the electronic equivalent of the book; and it's a price perhaps more than one would be willing to pay ?

If only art books were available like that. I know from a friend that's making a phd in art that it's not always that easy. That kind of books have limited print runs in contrast to your run of the mill paperback. Or you can only purchase just THE ONE that doesn't have the print/artwork you want! There are still books that are not in the ebook realm, sadly.