Book Collections - do you keep track of what you have in yours?

@saundyl (9783)
Canada
May 24, 2008 1:02am CST
Last fall when i was bored I purchased a program called book collector and proceeded to put the majority of my book collection (minus the old old ones that dont have isbn numbers so far) into the program to keep track of what books i have and don't have. I like being able to look up at a glance if i have a book for my collection already or even if i have a double copy i can pass on to others. Does anyone else do this...or am i being a bit too organized?
1 person likes this
6 responses
egdcltd
@egdcltd (12060)
•
24 May 08
I keep track of my books too, but I use Readerware. Still got a fair few I haven't entered yet, though. I enter the old ones without ISBN also.
1 person likes this
egdcltd
@egdcltd (12060)
•
25 May 08
I now have about 2,800 of my books catalogued. Probably over 3,000 when I get anything entered. I quite enjoy reading.
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egdcltd
@egdcltd (12060)
•
25 May 08
Oh, I also separate my books physically into categories. Science Fiction/Fantasy, Horror, Fiction and Non-Fiction (organized by Dewey number).
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saundyl
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
24 May 08
I intend to add my older ones as well, in time. I'm up to having 400 of my books catalogued. My program is called Book Collector. I'm glad i'm not the only one that does this!
PearlGrace
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
25 May 08
Hi saundyl. Gosh, I didn't even know there was such a program as "Book Collector." That sounds like a great idea, at least until I think about what doing the initial inventory would be like. (:) My husband and I both love books and we have had to learn to not keep every single one we get. Our house just isn't big enough and we agreed we didn't want every single room totally over-flowing with books! Even so, I think it's quite admirable that you are so organized and can know with the typing of a few keys which books you have and how many. Good for you. You give us all something to aspire to. PearlGrace
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PearlGrace
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
25 May 08
Hello again, saundyl. Your house must be huge to house all your books! As we've downsized, we've pretty much had to establish limits on how many books we keep. I like the idea about going to the library first, though. PearlGrace
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saundyl
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
28 May 08
No, not a huge house. I just seem to end up double shelving books lately. Books i havent looked at for a bit have been moved to the basement on the shelves there. I dont like them down there though.
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saundyl
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
25 May 08
Thank you for such nice comments. I have such a hard time giving up books I've purchased that..anything I don't wish to keep I borrow from the library. Or even borrow them first THEN purchase them so I know if it is good or not.
Teresa W.
@horsesrule (1957)
• United States
24 May 08
I would LOVE to have my book collection as organized as you do! A lot of what I have though are the older kids books that I collect and most of those don't have ISBN numbers so I guess that wouldn't help me out. :-( But I definitely love the idea of having that type of organization!
1 person likes this
saundyl
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
24 May 08
I fully intend to put the non isbn number ones in. In time though as I'd have to input all the page totals and such manually. It'll be when i get a "mandatory" week off this summer or on snow days in the winter.
jillhill
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
25 May 08
I have a book collection too but I am not as organized as you. They are on the shelves though arranged according to classification. I have though started giving them away to libraries. But am keeping certain ones that I truly love.
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saundyl
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
25 May 08
I've never taken the time to sort mine by classification on the shelves. I'd say that's pretty organized. As far as I've gotten for sorting on the shelves is grouping the books by the same author all on one shelf. They aren't even in alphabetical order.
CherylsPearls
@CherylsPearls (1269)
• United States
24 May 08
I do, but I do it on LibraryThing.com. It's something like $20. (US) for a lifetime membership. Entering your books is a breeze and you can access them from anywhere. If you haven't seen this site, try it. There are groups of all types, and loads of information on the books you enter. And no you are not too organized!
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saundyl
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
24 May 08
I'll have to check the site out. Thank you. Its a lot cheaper than the software i bought and...its already asking to be upgraded!
chrysz
@chrysz (1602)
• Philippines
24 May 08
I keep records of the books i am collecting so ill know if I am missing something. Now, my hubby keeps a catalog in our PC and he also tries find Ebook for easier access when I need something or when I wanna re-read the books.
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saundyl
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
24 May 08
Thats a good idea. My program has a box to mark if i've read it or not as well as if its borrowed or even what room its kept in but I haven't used those features so far. I'm just getting into having them in the system.