Have your book collections taken over your living space? Do stacks of novels sprawl across your floor, occupy every available surface, and spill into makeshift storage solutions? You’re not alone. Many of us have developed a deep connection with our books, making it difficult to part with them once we’ve finished reading. As someone who relies on their book collection for daily reference and inspiration, I understand the importance of having a dedicated library space.
Whether you’re a fellow bookworm or simply appreciate the written word, it’s time to reclaim your home and create a functional yet inviting library that reflects your unique interests and passions.
Creating Your Own Home Library
Imagine having a French chateau-inspired personal library, where book lovers can indulge in their favorite titles amidst elegant surroundings. The good news is that creating such a sanctuary is within reach, even for those without extensive DIY experience. If you’ve successfully built a chicken coop or managed to tame your garden, you’re well-equipped to design and build bookcases that suit your available space.
Moreover, operating a smartphone or computer is a basic requirement for reading this article, which means you can effortlessly utilize an app to catalog your books. Additionally, your experience in managing a homestead has likely honed your organizational skills, allowing you to create a custom home library that caters to your needs and finally puts your beloved books away from the floor.
To bring your vision to life, start by making a comprehensive plan, which begins with some research to determine your wants and needs.
Step 1: Calculate Space Needs
Imagine a serene oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life – our newly unveiled 84-linear-feet library boasts an impressive 84 linear feet of stunning book-filled shelves! With this impressive architectural feature, you can now indulge in your favorite novels or discover new literary gems. Before embarking on your library journey, take a moment to assess how many linear feet of shelf space you require, as this will be the foundation upon which you’ll build your ideal library haven.
Measure Existing Book Space
To begin the process of organizing your book collection, start by taking inventory of what you currently have. Grab a tape measure and meticulously record the dimensions of each existing bookcase, as well as the number of books stacked on them. Don’t overlook the books stored in boxes, closets, or other storage areas – every item counts.
This step-by-step approach will give you a clear understanding of your current bookshelf landscape, allowing you to make informed decisions about how to optimize your space.
Reality Check
When you’re done calculating the space needed for your book collection, you might realize that having all those volumes on display isn’t as crucial as you thought. It’s natural to feel attached to your books, but are you truly going to revisit your Twilight series for the umpteenth time? Perhaps it’s time to reevaluate your priorities.
One option is to consider donating these books to a local free library or even building a mini free library in your area, filling it with these much-loved volumes and paying forward to fellow book enthusiasts.
Predict Future Space Needs
As you’ve refined your library’s linear footage and eliminated titles you’re unlikely to retain, it’s time to gaze into the future. To accurately assess your book collection’s growth potential, consider not only the number of new books you’ll acquire in the coming years but also the rate at which they’ll enter and exit your library through turnover.
This includes factors such as lending books to friends or acquaintances without expecting them back, as well as the natural process of outgrowing certain subject matters or interests. For instance, when I first began exploring homesteading, my book collection focused on general skills and knowledge. Over time, however, my understanding deepened and I found myself no longer needing those initial texts.
As a result, I’ve been steadily donating them to newcomers in the field, one by one, as an act of community building.
Fine-Tuning Book Shelf Requirements
To determine your actual bookcase space needs, combine your current linear feet with your future needs, minus any turnover. This will give you an accurate estimate of how much space you require. When designing your bookcases, remember that vertical storage can be incredibly efficient. For instance, a 4-foot-wide and tall bookcase with four shelves can hold 16 linear feet of books. In contrast, an 8-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide bookcase with eight shelves can store 32 linear feet in the same footprint.
By choosing taller bookcases, you can effectively double your storage capacity. When selecting bookcases for oversized items like garden and homesteading references, consider a narrower profile to optimize space usage. Most fiction books and subject-specific titles are generally under 8 inches wide and tall, so you may be able to opt for 10-inch shelves while still providing dust protection and saving space. Designate a separate area for storing larger volumes if needed.
Lastly, think about creating ‘special collections’ at home, just like libraries do. This could mean setting aside specific areas for frequently used books or those related to your most-used activities, such as cooking or woodworking. By doing so, you’ll reduce the overall linear feet required for long-term storage and keep your most-used resources readily accessible.
Step 2: Decide on a Location
With the estimated storage requirements in mind, it’s time to determine where you’ll locate your home library. While a dedicated room is ideal, you can also repurpose another space that meets the necessary conditions. The key consideration is having enough square footage to accommodate multiple tall bookcases placed adjacent to each other.
This could be a cozy nook, a sectioned-off area of an open-plan living space, or even a converted closet – as long as it provides ample room for your literary collection.
Hallways
When considering a spot for your book collection, the initial suggestion was to utilize the hallway, particularly if you have limited living space. However, it’s essential to ensure there’s sufficient room for emergency egress. Additionally, think about the types of activities you engage in and whether your books will be obstructing walkways.
If you decide to allocate some hallway space to your book collection, be aware that this may complicate tasks like moving furniture in and out, making low-ceilinged hallways feel cramped. Ultimately, it’s crucial to weigh the benefits against potential drawbacks when deciding where to store your treasured books.
Feature Walls
Consider repurposing an entire wall in your primary living spaces, such as the living room or dining room, into a library feature. This might require reconfiguring some furniture, like moving a sofa or removing artwork. However, having a dedicated space for your books can be incredibly rewarding. The payoff is well worth the minor adjustments.
By leveraging an underutilized area in your home, you’ll not only create a cozy retreat but also provide ample opportunity for meaningful conversations with friends and family.
Room Dividers
Consider repurposing your existing library bookshelves as a creative solution for maximizing space. By placing them side by side or even building outwards in a back-to-back configuration, you can effectively increase the linear footage of shelving without the need for additional wall real estate. This ingenious hack not only saves space but also adds an aesthetically pleasing design element to your room.
Stairwells
In recent years, I’ve observed a growing trend in home libraries: repurposing the stairwell’s walls for book storage. Traditionally, this space is dedicated to family photos, which are now easily accessible on our mobile devices. With this shift, why not reserve the staircase wall for something truly special – a curated display of your favorite memories? As you ascend the stairs, imagine selecting a great read before bed, and having it at your fingertips.
Multipurpose Sheds
In our humble abode, space constraints are a significant concern. Our mobile home, while cozy, wasn’t designed to hold the weight of our 1100-strong book collection in one place. Drawing on our experience building livestock shelters, we devised a creative solution: transforming the north wall of our guest cottage into a mini library and climbing wall.
This innovative space not only houses our books but also provides additional insulation, keeping the area comfortable despite varying weather conditions. A crucial consideration when repurposing an outbuilding for your home library is ensuring it’s weathertight to prevent moisture damage or insect infestation.
Places to Avoid
While it’s tempting to store your book collection anywhere, there are certain areas you should steer clear of. Bathrooms and laundry rooms, for instance, tend to be hotbeds of humidity, which can lead to moisture damage over time. Similarly, damp basements or uninsulated garages can create an environment that’s ripe for mold growth or infestation by unwanted critters like mice.
Instead, strive to store your books in areas with consistently comfortable conditions and moderate humidity levels, just as you would want to ensure a cozy and healthy living space for yourself.
Step 3: Install Shelving
With your chosen library location settled, it’s time to think about installing shelving. Fortunately, there are many convenient options available. Pre-fabricated bookcases offer a quick and easy solution, while modular set-ups similar to kitchen cabinetry provide a flexible framework for organizing your books. Alternatively, you can take on the challenge of building your own custom shelving system, giving you complete control over design and functionality.
DIY Building Materials
When building your own bookshelves, it’s crucial to consider the structural integrity required to support the weight of your literary collection. Hardwoods, known for their durability, can be an excellent choice, although they may come at a higher cost. For a more budget-friendly option, you can opt for plywood or metal shelves with frequent central supports. Metal shelving units offer a sleek and easy-to-clean design, but may require welding skills to assemble.
On the other hand, you can choose to install your bookshelves directly onto load-bearing walls, provided you have a solid understanding of your home’s construction and can locate studs. Alternatively, you can construct a freestanding custom bookcase that distributes the weight evenly between the floor and the shelving unit. Regardless of your chosen approach, it’s essential to ensure that your floor or wall is sturdy enough to support the weight of your books and materials.
In some cases, this may require additional reinforcement to create a stable foundation for your home library.
Cosmetic Details
When it comes to crafting bookshelves that blend seamlessly into your space, don’t overlook the little details. For instance, if you’ve opted for a rustic look, exposed hardware can be a charming touch. Conversely, if you’re aiming for a more refined aesthetic, consider using concealed fasteners like pocket screws with plugs to maintain a clean visual line.
Additionally, consider incorporating decorative elements such as crown molding or other design flourishes that will help your bookcases feel like they’ve always been part of the room’s architecture. To further personalize your creation, think about using custom paints or stains to give it a unique finish that complements the surrounding decor. Just be sure to choose materials that are easy to clean and won’t damage your books. Lastly, don’t forget about the importance of proper lighting.
Adequate illumination will allow you to comfortably read and appreciate the contents of your bookshelves without straining your eyes.
Step 4: Organize Your Library Books
In a designated area of our library, we have a dedicated section for how-to books, making it effortless to locate the information we need. The image above, courtesy of Tasha Greer, captures this arrangement. As we’ve set up our shelves, we’re now faced with the task of categorizing our book collection.
Don’t Dewey!
The Dewey decimal system may be overkill for a home library. I recommend categorizing books in a way that makes sense to you and keeps things simple, making it easy to find what you need and re-shelve items after use. My partner and I took this approach by grouping poetry, fiction, and drama together and organizing them alphabetically by author. Non-fiction books, excluding how-to manuals, are stored separately.
We placed our how-to guides in a convenient location near the entrance, as we tend to access them frequently. The key is to create a system that works for you and your reading habits, without becoming too complex. A simple approach reduces the likelihood of errors when re-shelving books.
Bells and Whistles
As you near the completion of designing your personalized library, consider adding a few finishing touches to enhance its functionality. The nuances may not be as glamorous as imagining shelves filled with beloved books, but they’re crucial for creating an intuitive and enjoyable user experience.
Digital Card Catalog
With the abundance of free and affordable apps available, creating a digital card catalog of your book collection has never been easier. Simply scan the ISBN number with your phone, and you’ll be able to generate key data such as title, publication date, author(s), and even descriptions for each book. As you’re already handling each book while organizing, why not take the opportunity to scan them simultaneously? This approach will allow you to keep all your book information at your fingertips.
Some apps also offer note-taking capabilities, enabling you to track borrowing history and other relevant details. We’ve found CLZ Books to be a reliable option, but there are numerous alternatives catering to various needs.
Return Area
Just as a public library requires designated spaces for book returns and additions, you might need to set aside a specific area for processing incoming materials. When capturing ISBNs, it’s essential to have a separate space for new books to prevent them from being shelved prematurely.
Library Maintenance
When creating a home library, it’s essential to designate someone as the guardian of this space. Just as every physical library has a dedicated head librarian, your home library needs a person responsible for its upkeep. This individual will ensure shelves are regularly reorganized as your collection grows or books are shared among family members. Unread books may need to be relocated to make room for new acquisitions, and dusting is an inevitable task.
While these duties might seem daunting, the cumulative effort required to maintain a home library is often less burdensome than when books are scattered throughout the house. Nonetheless, it’s still advisable to appoint a family librarian or library director to oversee periodic maintenance, keeping your home library organized and welcoming.
With this in mind, you’re now well-prepared to establish your own home library and take on the role of head librarian – or delegate duties as library director.
