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Book disposal

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fljustice
Bibliophile
Posts: 1995
Joined: March 2010
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Post by fljustice » Wed October 6th, 2010, 3:16 pm

Like many here, I keep non-fiction for research and move out the fiction to friends, family, library and Bookcrossing. Anything left over at the end of the year goes to a major charity sale that a friend runs for her church. I do keep some hardback fiction and leather-bound books in the parlor because they are favorites and "for show."

I register most of my books with Bookcrossing.com which advocates leaving books in public places (with a sticky note saying "Free Book -- Take Me Home") for others to discover. Each book has a unique id number and label that gives the website address, so people who find the book can go on line and see where the book has traveled and what the readers thought of it. Members also trade, gift books, send books out as rings, rays and boxes. I've registered over 1,000 books and have left 415 "in the wild." It's a fun hobby and can become addicting! BTW if you check it out and join, my user name over there is MarysGirl.
Faith L. Justice, Author Website
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Brenna
Bibliophile
Posts: 1358
Joined: June 2010
Location: Delaware

Post by Brenna » Wed October 6th, 2010, 3:57 pm

[quote=""sweetpotatoboy""]I have to admit to being a hoarder and keep almost all of the books I've read. Needless to say, I'm rapidly running out of room. I occasionally give them to charity shops, bazaars etc. And I do give some away to friends. But if I liked it at all, I tend to hang on to it.[/quote]

I am a book hoarder as well! I keep all of my historical fiction and then my everyday authors that I love. If I have picked a book that I really can't stand, I will turn them in to the used bookstore where I usually try and shop first. However, I am a huge fan of B&N and amazon.com, so I book shop a lot more than I visit the library.
Brenna

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LoobyG
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 568
Joined: April 2010
Location: Derbyshire, UK

Post by LoobyG » Wed October 6th, 2010, 3:59 pm

I have to confess to being a terrible hoarder - if I've enjoyed a book, I like to hang onto it, if I'm positive I'll never read one again (and this doesn't happen often) then it gets donated :) I moved into a house with a moderately sized loft conversion last year which I'm planning on making into my mini library, it'll take me a long time to fill that space up :p Nearly all the books I buy are second hand. My local library is rubbish and doesn't seem to stock any of the oop titles I often enjoy reading, so I haven't borrowed anything for a long time.

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Misfit
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 9581
Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Wed October 6th, 2010, 4:07 pm

[quote=""Miss Moppet""] I'm always impressed by the generosity of bloggers who will post out books themselves, especially internationally.[/quote]

Oh I know, I'd love to do that, but even with Media mail rates in the US it can add up after a while. As for international mail rates :eek: :eek:
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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princess garnet
Bibliophile
Posts: 1797
Joined: August 2008
Location: Maryland

Post by princess garnet » Fri October 8th, 2010, 1:18 am

Keepers for me too.

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3566
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Fri October 8th, 2010, 1:38 am

I used to hoard -- and not just books! but then a house fire freed me up. Now, except for research materials, I send books along to the next reader, wherever they may be. For the last six years, I have given them to a friend with an online bookstore. If I really need it again, I can buy it from the same place--the cost is less than the clutter of hanging onto it.

As I now have a kindle, I fear my friend's sale stock will diminish somewhat

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Telynor
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Posts: 1465
Joined: August 2008
Location: On the Banks of the Hudson

Post by Telynor » Fri October 8th, 2010, 3:01 am

I tend to hang onto nonfiction -- my cookbook collection is obscene, I fear -- and the topics that really interest me, and books that I have really enjoyed in various forms of fiction. I've been using goodreads.com lately, and very glad to have gotten about sixty or so out the door, but there is still plenty to go through and give away. (big hint to you readers out there...) I used to sell them on Amazon, but that market has certainly dried up.

I wonder if there's a book hoarder's anonymous out there? We all seem to be afflicted by it it seems.

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emr
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 840
Joined: January 2009
Location: Castilla

Post by emr » Fri October 8th, 2010, 7:14 am

I still own every single book I ever bought except text books from school. The books I didnt like or the books I know wouldnt be of my taste now are simply not on sight. They are all there taking up space I know but I cant get rid of them...
In fact with this thread you made think of a place where maybe people take second hand books. I may go later to ask what they have :D
"So many books, so little time."
— Frank Zappa

Sharz
Reader
Posts: 249
Joined: October 2009
Location: Chicago

Post by Sharz » Fri October 8th, 2010, 1:30 pm

I keep almost everything. All nonfiction, all classics, all HF that I liked (95%). The only genre I routinely acquire and expect to trade out is historical romance. I have maybe a dozen keepers of that genre, the rest are waiting for trade (paperbackswap.com). For other fictional books, other genres, I keep anything that was better than ok. Turns out to be probably 80%.

I have 8.5 full bookcases (IKEA black billy) of books. In a few weeks I'm going to re-arrange the basement rec room to open it up a little more, but also partly to open up more wall spade for more bookcases.

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Michy
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Posts: 1649
Joined: May 2010
Location: California

Post by Michy » Fri October 8th, 2010, 2:10 pm

[quote=""Telynor""]
I wonder if there's a book hoarder's anonymous out there? We all seem to be afflicted by it it seems.[/quote]

I may be the only exception. My mom is a hoarder, so that has cured me for life. Every time I visit her place, I come home, look around my house, and ask, ok, what can I get rid of?

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