Please help me organize my books!

[Tracy]

A couple of weeks ago, I was given a van-load of books from a former homeschooler. :hurray: I have finally gone through and weeded out those I don't want, but I am left with so.many.books! :willy_nilly: I bought 3 bookshelves and am ready to put them there. But I feel like I need some sort of organization if I am ever to put them to use. They include books for beginning readers up to adults. The categories include homeschooling how-to manuals, religious-inspiration, religious instruction, science texts and books, history texts, biographies, historical fiction, literature and children's books, and probably a few more categories that I haven't noticed yet. Many of the books fit in more than one category, and my public school education does not give me the information I need to even know the difference. :confused: (I am finding that I don't know right off the bat if a book is a biography or historical fiction, for example.)

 

I would really, really appreciate any ideas for organizing these books so that I can actually use them!:bigear:

[lotsofpumpkins]

Maybe organize them like the library would? You could even make up labels to stick on the spines so they are easier to reshelf. It would take some time but you can look up each book in the library catalog to get the dewey decimal #. (Aren't there online book organizer sites now too that can help with this?)

[Tracy]

It would take some time but you can look up each book in the library catalog to get the dewey decimal #. (Aren't there online book organizer sites now too that can help with this?)

 

If someone could link me to something, that would be great!

[Aubrey]

Maybe organize them like the library would? You could even make up labels to stick on the spines so they are easier to reshelf. It would take some time but you can look up each book in the library catalog to get the dewey decimal #. (Aren't there online book organizer sites now too that can help with this?)

 

This is what I would do. Go ahead & do it really well, because, by the ages of your dc, well...you really can't imagine how bad the book situation is going to be 5yrs from now. :lol:

 

Start w/ Library Thing. Enter your books into their system. As you do, mark the upper right corner of the first page (pref in pencil): LT 08/10 (or whatever mo you enter it--this is so that when you stop for a week & go back, you'll know what you've done).

 

Next, when you get the title of your book in LT, there's a spot beneath the title that will expand. If the book is nonfiction, LT usually has the dewey decimal # right there. Copy that, too, under the spot where you wrote the date entered.

 

Tags: keep an index card or sticky note beside the computer w/ the tags you've chosen listed there, so that you can be consistent. I can't tell you how wonderful this feature is. I planned the littles' whole preschool w/ this feature this week--you want to study "lions" for L? Search that, & it brings up anything to do w/ lions. LT can figure out some things, it searches titles, but it's also great to have really good tags in there.

 

When you've got a decent stack entered, pull out your label maker, & enter the call # on one line & the first 3 letters of the author's last name beneath that. Precede the call # w/ a J if it's a kid book, E if it's an easy reader, etc. Stick this on the spine of the book like a library would, & if you're really dedicated, add a strip of packing tape.

 

Then, when you give books away, just delete them from LT, then erase or mark out the LT tag, & put them in the bag. When you buy new ones, set them by the computer to be processed first.

 

You will be SO glad a while from now when the system prevents you from accidentally buying 2nd & 3rd copies of books because you have no idea what you've got. :lol:

[Tracy]

Okay, Library Thing looks pretty cool. Any others out there I should check out first?

[JoyfulMama]

This is what I would do. Go ahead & do it really well, because, by the ages of your dc, well...you really can't imagine how bad the book situation is going to be 5yrs from now. :lol:

 

Start w/ Library Thing. Enter your books into their system. As you do, mark the upper right corner of the first page (pref in pencil): LT 08/10 (or whatever mo you enter it--this is so that when you stop for a week & go back, you'll know what you've done).

 

Next, when you get the title of your book in LT, there's a spot beneath the title that will expand. If the book is nonfiction, LT usually has the dewey decimal # right there. Copy that, too, under the spot where you wrote the date entered.

 

Tags: keep an index card or sticky note beside the computer w/ the tags you've chosen listed there, so that you can be consistent. I can't tell you how wonderful this feature is. I planned the littles' whole preschool w/ this feature this week--you want to study "lions" for L? Search that, & it brings up anything to do w/ lions. LT can figure out some things, it searches titles, but it's also great to have really good tags in there.

 

When you've got a decent stack entered, pull out your label maker, & enter the call # on one line & the first 3 letters of the author's last name beneath that. Precede the call # w/ a J if it's a kid book, E if it's an easy reader, etc. Stick this on the spine of the book like a library would, & if you're really dedicated, add a strip of packing tape.

 

Then, when you give books away, just delete them from LT, then erase or mark out the LT tag, & put them in the bag. When you buy new ones, set them by the computer to be processed first.

 

You will be SO glad a while from now when the system prevents you from accidentally buying 2nd & 3rd copies of books because you have no idea what you've got. :lol:

 

WOW!!! :drool: Now THAT is a "Home Library!"

[TheCoffeeChick]

We use gurulib.com but I don't know if they have the call number feature. It is free though.

 

I would love to organize my books like Aubrey described -- someday. :001_wub:

[Aubrey]

WOW!!! :drool: Now THAT is a "Home Library!"

 

Sometimes at night, I just go stand & look at them. W/ all their matching labels, ascending order, neatly tucked away into cheapy white bookshelves. Perfect. As long as NOBODY TOUCHES THEM. :lol:

 

No, really, I figure helping me set it up & then learning to put them away right will count as "library skills" since our library isn't very good & we haven't been able to really hang out at one since #3 was born. ;)

[RhondaJK]

This is what I would do. Go ahead & do it really well, because, by the ages of your dc, well...you really can't imagine how bad the book situation is going to be 5yrs from now. :lol:

 

Start w/ Library Thing. Enter your books into their system. As you do, mark the upper right corner of the first page (pref in pencil): LT 08/10 (or whatever mo you enter it--this is so that when you stop for a week & go back, you'll know what you've done).

 

Next, when you get the title of your book in LT, there's a spot beneath the title that will expand. If the book is nonfiction, LT usually has the dewey decimal # right there. Copy that, too, under the spot where you wrote the date entered.

 

Tags: keep an index card or sticky note beside the computer w/ the tags you've chosen listed there, so that you can be consistent. I can't tell you how wonderful this feature is. I planned the littles' whole preschool w/ this feature this week--you want to study "lions" for L? Search that, & it brings up anything to do w/ lions. LT can figure out some things, it searches titles, but it's also great to have really good tags in there.

 

When you've got a decent stack entered, pull out your label maker, & enter the call # on one line & the first 3 letters of the author's last name beneath that. Precede the call # w/ a J if it's a kid book, E if it's an easy reader, etc. Stick this on the spine of the book like a library would, & if you're really dedicated, add a strip of packing tape.

 

Then, when you give books away, just delete them from LT, then erase or mark out the LT tag, & put them in the bag. When you buy new ones, set them by the computer to be processed first.

 

You will be SO glad a while from now when the system prevents you from accidentally buying 2nd & 3rd copies of books because you have no idea what you've got. :lol:

 

Thanks for the tutorial!! Now if I can just find the time to start adding books. :glare: