Book Drop

We have now exorcised the demon of book ownership sold over 600 books.  We didn't specifically count but did the math of the bookcases and the store that took them said it was well over 600.  This local store buys what they can resell.  When cashing out we get maybe $1.00 a book on average, if we took store credit it would be double.  What they don't want goes to Friends of the Library for their quarterly sale which happens to be this week.  We have gleefully participated in this quarterly sale where all kinds and sizes of books can be obtained for a dollar each. 

 

We also sold the requisite bookcases.  Two identical 4 feet by 7 feet by 13 inches.  They were a heavy visual weight in our great room which is now light and airy.  A happy new home was found via Craigslist.

 

We both love books, we would stand in front of the bookshelf and ponder our next read.  DH stated he would look at various titles and remember when he got the book and at which yummy bookstore, the whole experience of that book.  That is why it is monumental that DH said he was ready to let go of the books. 

 

So times are a changing for us.  We want to lighten the load and remove the burden of carting these books from place to place.  Over the past three or more years I have used the library more heavily for books, cookbooks (why buy such heavy tomes), movies, even digital books and magazine subscriptions.  I like the ability to reserve items and then receive an email message when items are ready for pick up or just download the electronic version.  My preference is still the book version, it is easier on the eyes. 

 

My first real job as a teenager (age 14 through 16) was at my hometown public library.  I love being in the library and I believe some of that harkens back to those days.  The old library building with its basement rooms and nooks, the old card file of cross reference index cards which I was responsible to keep up to date, the older ladies (three as I remember) that I worked with in a room where I typed up the spine labels and covered the books with protective wrap.  These three ladies seemed to spend the entire time reading.  I honestly do not know what their job was.  I too would get lost in a book but knew if the typewriter click clack wasn't active enough I would get a glance to pick up the pace. 

 

Our newspaper subscriptions (Sundays only) ran out at the end of October and we elected to not renew.  We are reading junkies but desire less stuff, responsibility and burden of all those written words except now we sooth our reading cravings primarily electronically and through borrowing. 

 

I feel lighter already.

 

P.S.  This is one of many minimalist/frugal/pare down blogs that I read and this specific entry is a good read on scaling back one's book collection http://www.becomingminimalist.com/unclutter-books/ (sorry, new to links etc, so if you wish, copy/paste to web).  I follow this fellow as his writing and approach to minimalism is more toward appreciating what you have, not having excess and living more simply.  Enjoy.