Is it possible to own too many books? Anyone who knows me personally or has been inside my house would guess my answer to be no, and I wouldn’t blame them. When Daniel and I got married, we were beyond broke and lived in the cutest one-bedroom cottage. We had one bookshelf—given to us by my parents—and enough books to fill it four times over. Without another shelf and no money to buy one, for the first few years of marriage, the walls of our one-bedroom cottage were lined with stacks of books. 

So, do I think you can own too many books? No. 

The better question, though is: How are you using your books?

Books should not sit neglected and dusty. Books are tools, brain food, journeys, rest from the stress of life, and the keys to new ideas and skills. Own as many books as you want, but don’t let them sit and rot. Lend them out. Share them. It annoys Daniel, but I’m constantly loaning out books even though sometimes I don’t get them back. I’ll either forget who I loaned them to or forget that I told someone to keep it. 

Obviously, some of my books have special sentimental value to me, and therefore are not lent out. And, I have a selection of antique books that I keep in a closed shelf to protect the delicate paper. But I try to make the rest available to anyone who wants to read them.

The thought that I could do more has been pressing on me lately, though. Being an inveterate introvert, my house isn’t exactly a social epicenter, which means it’s usually the same people trading books with me. But short of changing my reclusive personality, how can I make sure all my books aren’t just sitting around collecting dust?

Thinking on this question the last few weeks, had me scratching my head. The easy answer is to donate some of them. I do love all my books, but if I’m honest with myself, there are some that I enjoyed but probably won’t read again. With my ever-growing TBR pile, I don’t spend a ton of time re-reading. 

But though it may sound easy, donating isn’t a simple solution. Some ‘charitable’ organizations will take your donation and then turn around and sell it for a high price. That is the last thing I want. Everything is expensive right now, and not many of us have much spare cash to spend on books. I’m all about donating, but I want to donate wisely. I want the books I part with to be enjoyed and—if not available for free—super cheap.

That kind of goal means research. Near me is a used bookstore I love. The store is staffed by volunteers and all the profits go to literacy charities. And the book prices are really low. Places like this store are great options if you are ready to thin out your collection. But even if you can’t find a similar location in your area, there are some websites that may be options for you. Operationpaperback.org is an organization that gets books to active service members and veterans. I haven’t donated through them yet, but their mission seems like one I can get behind. 

Another option is to look for a local little free library at Littlefreelibrary.org. I’ve heard mixed feelings about these pop-up, take-one leave-one libraries. Some don’t like how patrons treat the boxes, or think they aren’t used enough, but I like to leave a book or two in them for the people who will use it.  Even if only one or two people are getting reads from the cute little stands, that’s enough for me. 

I’m happy to say that my research is just in the beginning. I’ve found so many potential options from local correction facilities, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and more. It’s going to take some effort on my part, but I’m excited that others will get the chance to enjoy or discuss books that may have ended up abandoned on my shelves.

Ultimately, it’s not my place to tell anyone how many books they should have in their collections. But I would challenge all of us to consider how those shelved stories are being used. Do you have a few books someone else might enjoy reading? Or a local charity that can help get them out to people who might need a little fiction in their lives?

What do you think? How do you use your books? Do you limit the number of books you keep? If so, how did you decide? Comment below to join the discussion. And if you need a new read, check out GLAZED SUSPICION!

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