How do you organize your books and know what you have?

[Tina]

Good Morning All and Happy Tuesday,

I have tons of books which I am sure you all do but, how do you organize them to know what you have read and what you haven't. Do you use a computer program? I'm sad to say I can't remember names of books as well as I can the cover of a book...lol...Have a great day...Tina aka Time Traveler

[Kady]

I don't keep track of the books I own, but I do keep a book diary for the books I read. I've been doing it for several years now. It's nothing complicated. I just use one of those empty journal books you can get in book or stationery stores. I usually have several on hand for that purpose, as well as for keeping track of favorite authors and their series I'm reading. I notate whether the book is new or a re-read, the title and author, the date I read it, and I give a rating from 1-5, 5 being the best. I also add any comments I have. At the end of each month I tally how many I have read, how many were new as opposed to re-reads, and any I may not have finished for whatever reason. At the end of each year, I tally the total number of books I read in the year's time. Right now, heading to the end of March 2008, I am working on my 18th book.

I'd be interested in hearing how other readers keep track.

[SciFiChick]

Using LibraryThing.com, I've been able to catalog almost all my books. Though my books used to be pretty organized, my piles have gotten out of control since my review website has picked up. LibraryThing has helped me keep track of what I own, have read, and what I need to read!
http://www.librarything.com/profile/scifichick
And the little CueCat scanner that I bought through them helped me catalog all my eleven hundred plus books!

[Victoria Purling]

I'm ashamed to say that I don't organize my books at all. I have books EVERYWHERE!!!! Some in boxes in the attic, some in boxes in the basement, under my bed, in my livingroom... even in my car! I keep saying that I am going to go through all of them and organize them, but I never do. Because of not being organized, I sometimes unknowingly pick up a book and begin reading it again.

Hugs!
Victoria

[Amanda Ashley]

My books are organized by author. However, I don't keep that many...only ones I really love....I went through my books a while back, thumbed through some really old ones, and gave away the ones I knew I wouldn't read again. I have so many research books, and extra copies of my own books, I just don't have room to keep everything I read

Mandy
Dead Perfect
in stores now!

[Carla S. Arpin, Author Services]

Hellooooooo, Sister Unorganized! : ) I'm so glad I'm not alone in my hoarding and organization-challenged-ing. ==========:-O

C.

[Tina]

SciFiChick, Thank You for this post. I did go and start an account. Now to find the time to list them all....Tina

[SciFiChick]

I'm glad! Hopefully you can find some time to input them. Once you get started, it's hard to stop! I'm so glad I did though. They even have a mobile link that I can use at the bookstore if I've forgotten if I own a certain book... I just look it up on my cell phone. Very convenient!

[Carla S. Arpin, Author Services]

I've never heard of this, I'll def have to check it out. My books are totally OUT OF CONTROL! Most are still packed away from a move this past September. Like a gazillion boxes full. I prob have doubles and triples of some books. Sheesh.

Carla

[Tina]

Flo, I have tried to organize them into sections but, once I touch them I start reading back covers and the next thing you know I havn't got a thing done but, a fresh pile of books to read...lol....I think it could be A.D.D. lol...Tina

[Kady]

I try to put books on my bookshelf by author; I have a shelf for Nora Roberts/JD Robb, a shelf for Bertrice Small, and a combined shelf for Sherrilyn Kenyon, JR Ward and Lara Adrian. All the others I have are grouped by author but put on the other shelves together, and stacked on each other as I have more books than room for them. When I want to reread a particular book, I usually have to dig for it!

[Tina]

So, everyone so far sounds like me. lol... We all keep our books after reading them. I hardly ever lend or give a book away. Not to sound selfish but, they are a part of me and I can't let them go....Tina

[Kady]

I lend a few to my best friend, but that's about all. Yeah, I keep most of mine since I generally only buy books by favorite authors. With the cost of books, I have to be choosy.