How to Build
a Personal Library
To start building a personal
library, you will greatly benefit by composing a list of books which would like
to own. It may also be helpful to decide what type(s) of book(s) you want in
your library, examples include: classics, fantasies, biographies, information
books, or a variety of these four. When you have a rough plan in mind, now is
the time to proceed to actually securing the books. Some of the books you want
you might acquire by working for someone to earn a book or a certain selection
of books (and thus save some cash); others may be found at garage sales, book
sales, or library sales for less than they are actually worth; or you can buy
books new at a store or online. Before purchasing or working for a book, take a
good look at it and ask the Lord to give you discernment on whether or not you
should have this book. As you compile books in this manner, a bookshelf will probably
be useful. You may purchase a new book shelf at a store, or you can find one at
a rummage sale. If neither of these options is desirable, you may build your
own bookshelf or possibly do some work for someone who has an old bookshelf
that they would like to get rid of. Once
you have a bookshelf you now need to decide how you will arrange your books on
the shelves: will you arrange them by topic? Alphabetical order? Subject? Type?
Etc. Your possibilities are endless, so be creative. Next, you may want to
develop some type of label to put inside your books so that you can identify
that they are yours—this will come in handy if you loan some out. You may also
want to keep a notebook to write down when you have completed a book and who
(if anyone) has borrowed your books. Your library is now started and you can
continue to build it over the years.
