For whatever it's worth, here are my book-saving criteria:
* If I have not read it but intend to, I keep it.
* If I have read it and it's not a reference book, I get rid of it
* If it's a reference book that I haven't referred to in a couple years, and that I could replace, I get rid of it
* If I have read a book and I have a specific person in mind that I think would be interested, I will save it to give to that person.
I guess it's because I'm a librarian, but I tend to keep all my books and I organize them quite frequently. I'll agree, they do get heavy, and I'm running out of room...
I just can't physically get rid of them though!
don't bring your used books to the Book Rack (that place near your place), their store credit policy is rather unfriendly...
Bah, I never felt comfortable in high school and am glad its behind me. I wasn't even really an outsider either, just knew that it would soon be over and there were better things ahead. Or course, that could have all been due to the fact that I didn't have a car...
Max--
I dunno, the way your system has no room for great books that deserve a permanent home seems kinda harsh!
Candi--
I thought you were a meteorologist? What are you, some kind of meteorology-librarian? ;-)
Well, technically I'm a wannabe meteorologist. When I graduate in May, however, I will be fully certified to forecast the weather for your everyday events. It's a scary thought, I'm a horrible forecaster. That's why I'm going to grad school, so instead of forecasting for the rest of my life, I can just research about the wonders of the atmosphere.
And during the school year, I'm a librarian at the college library. Starting in the fall my hours are Sunday and Tuesday 8 pm to 11 pm, Wednesday 3pm-5pm, and Thursday 7pm-11pm. If you happen to be in the Lyndonville, VT area, you are more than welecome to stop by!
It's kinda sad, I've been home in MA for a little over a month, and I miss the met lab and library considerably. Mainly, I miss the met lab because on the weather programs there, I can zoom in on the satellite and radar images way more than I can sitting at home looking at the images on the internet. I guess I'm spoiled.
My wife would agree with you, Kirk, but I have to say, I never really understood the purpose of keeping "great books" simply because they're great. I can understand if they're beautiful editions that would look nice on the shelf, or if you have good reason to believe you'll want to reread the book soon, but otherwise, I just never got the sentimental attachment to the physical books.
Max--
Well, a few reasons: if they're great, they're more likely to be reread, lent out, or impress others. And then there's some mysticism about books, like G.K. Chesterson's "A room without books is like a body without a soul." For some people a big bunch of books is a hallmark of an educated and intellectually orientated person.
another good reason to keep books - your child's educational achievement. see link ; http://adulteducation.smartlibrary.info/NewInterface/segment.cfm?segment=2677
that's a really cool link; I'll probably "kisraelize it" properly when I get back...