Beyond what our books contain (knowledge, flights of fancy, drama) there’s the matter of how we contain them. From piles growing unchecked under the coffee table to impeccably designed personal libraries, there are as many ways to showcase a collection as there are books to fill it with. A shameless plug: Remember, the library can help you in your curatorial – and financial – quest by allowing you to return materials to our shelves rather than overburden your own!
The voracious reader may find themselves in a situation like this. Just imagine trying to retrieve one of the books in the bottom row. Jenga, anyone?
(Flickr photo by hayley.bailey available via a Creative Commons Attribution license)
When the most obvious storage spaces are packed, consider expanding into an unexpected area.
(Flickr photo by saebaryo available via a Creative Commons Attribution license)
Or, the entire area.
(Flickr photo by Michal Hvorecky available via a Creative Commons Attribution license)
Don’t be afraid to let loose your personal style.
(Flickr photo by Riding on a comet available via a Creative Commons Attribution license)
Even if others think it’s a little sideways.
(Flickr photo by drewwith available via a Creative Commons Attribution license)
Or just plain old archaic.
(Flickr photo by nijocamus available via a Creative Commons Attribution license)
Bookshelves can be teacup sized.
(Flickr photo by locarta available via a Creative Commons Attribution license)
Or contain several lifetimes’ worth of material.
(Flickr photo by leftoverfiller available via a Creative Commons Attribution license)
And of course, don’t forget a good bookend to hold it all together.
(Flickr photo by trawin available via a Creative Commons Attribution license)
Cover Flickr photo by p!o available via a Creative Commons Attribution license.