Managing your Library

[drjones]

Although I am a relative newbie, I am amassing quite a collection of books and magazines. I used to use an app on facebook called virtual bookshelf which allowed you to add books to your 'library' so you could keep track (I have a lot of books, I mean A LOT!).

Is anyone aware of this forum has something like that in the My content, or perhaps another website or app? I was thinking it would be nice to have something like that here so that members could keep track of what they have but perhaps also rate books in a more organized way than the book forum with the list of individual ratings. Thanks!

[WyckedWood]

We have a pinned topic for 'book recommendations" under general Mini talk...I don't know of anything else we have, that has to do with books though. Im a member on a site called "good reads" but I don't go there much...it might be something like what youre referring to. I love my mini book collection...some books are definitely better than others...I love that you can find books about miniatures and dollhouses for less than a dollar on amazon...and Ive bought quite a few of mine for right around that price ;-)

[havanaholly]

I have bookcases in my craftroom FULL of all my craft books, two of them for my dhs & minis. The rest of our books are in four bookcases plus a bookshelf desk hutch in DH's office, two bookcases plus an etagere room divider full of books in our bedroom, and four bookcases plus the bottom shelf of our sofa table in the livingroom. Eventually when the workshop gets built (DH keeps insisting it WILL happen) there will be a rearrangement of bookcases. Many years ago we owned a bookstore, so our books are organized...

[drjones]

OMG, Holly, I am amazed! I have 8 small and 12 large book shelf in the house and they are arranged by topic but I have no organization after that. I have my craft books in 5 of them and they are roughly organized. I also have boxes of books in my attic! Although I never owned a bookstore, it may sound like it because when our local used bookstore went out of business I bought a crazy amount of books. He was selling them for a $1 for a whole box! I couldn't resist!

Now I am into getting into buying on amazon. It is unbelievable how cheap some of the books can be also how crazy expensive. For ex Magnificent Miniatures is now going for $185-$519! Right now I only have about 25 books about dh and minis and probably 50 magazines, but I can see that I am going to get in serious trouble soon.....

[havanaholly]

Just wait until you've discovered Patricia King, since you're into saving table trash and "found" items.

[CheckMouse]

I have bookcases in my craftroom FULL of all my craft books, two of them for my dhs & minis. The rest of our books are in four bookcases plus a bookshelf desk hutch in DH's office, two bookcases plus an etagere room divider full of books in our bedroom, and four bookcases plus the bottom shelf of our sofa table in the livingroom. Eventually when the workshop gets built (DH keeps insisting it WILL happen) there will be a rearrangement of bookcases. Many years ago we owned a bookstore, so our books are organized...

Glad to see there is someone else who has a lot of books and loves them! I put all my mini-magazines in the plastic organizers, made for magazines, and have them labled by year. I started indexing the articles, so I could actually go to the mag I needed, but I got sidetracked on that one. All my craft books are on shelves in my workshop. As the Internet slowly takes over our lives, I'm getting more and more info on my computer (backed up by Carbonite) which is actually easier to catalog and organize than printed books - easier to search and locate also. But I'm not parting with my books. When I started minis all I had were the how-to books and I still treasure them.

[CheckMouse]

Just wait until you've discovered Patricia King, since you're into saving table trash and "found" items.

I'll bite - who's Patricia King?

[havanaholly]

Glad to see there is someone else who has a lot of books and loves them! I put all my mini-magazines in the plastic organizers, made for magazines, and have them labled by year. I started indexing the articles...But I'm not parting with my books. When I started minis all I had were the how-to books and I still treasure them.

I only did that with my American Miniaturist; all the rest I gleaned all the how-to and reference articles and mounted them on filler paper and filled a half dozen 3" 3-ring binders! It's amazing how quickly so mini of our how-to books have gone out of print!

I'll bite - who's Patricia King?

THIS is Patricia King: http://www.amazon.com/Making-Dolls-House-Furniture-Patricia/dp/0946819246

[drjones]

Glad to see there is someone else who has a lot of books and loves them! I put all my mini-magazines in the plastic organizers, made for magazines, and have them labled by year. I started indexing the articles, so I could actually go to the mag I needed, but I got sidetracked on that one. All my craft books are on shelves in my workshop. As the Internet slowly takes over our lives, I'm getting more and more info on my computer (backed up by Carbonite) which is actually easier to catalog and organize than printed books - easier to search and locate also. But I'm not parting with my books. When I started minis all I had were the how-to books and I still treasure them.

Right now I have been putting little stickies in my magazines for ones I want to come back to, but I was wondering about a way to index them. How do you do it? Actual Index cards? Although I've just started I am finding that I have to go through quite a few books/magazines until I find the thing I am looking for!

I am also amassing an electronic collection. I just got a digital subscription to Dollshouse World which allows you to download/print all of the back digital issues. But I agree that I can't give up my books or magazines! I love looking at all that eye candy and learning new techniques.