This weeks BTT is all about the size of our personal libraries…
What’s the largest your personal library has ever been? What’s the greatest number of books you’ve ever owned at one time? (Estimates are fine.)
Is your collection NOW the biggest it’s ever been? Or have you down-sized?
What’s the fewest number of books you’ve ever owned (not counting your pre-reading years)?
Unsurprisingly, my library is currently the largest its ever been. When one considers the type of book buyer I am, especially when it comes to used book stores (see this post for an idea) it’s a no-brainer that my collection continues to grow.
As for how many books I own, if you asked me a few weeks ago I would have said roughly 800. Then I did some spring cleaning, and I discovered I actually own over 900 books. If you count all of the textbooks and such, I’m walking the line of about 1000… and those are just hard copies. If I were to include all of my ebooks, well I have a lot, and so the total is over 3000 books that I own.
I would say I owned the fewest books in high school. I was a reader then, but I wasn’t reading as much as I do now. I’d say I probably kept my book total at about 150 books during my high school years.
Among Stories 
I don’t own any E-books… so my total is for hard copy only. I’d estimate at somewhere between 3500 – 4000. That includes both fiction and non-fiction.
For the sake of space, and money I had to switch at least partially to ebooks. I will always prefer hard copies though.
I will forever be jealous of your library, just so you know.
Thanks for stopping by/commenting at my blog! I like your post, too.
I didn’t even think about e-books for this prompt…though I don’t think I’ve cracked the “10” mark yet on those as-is (maybe if I get an iPad/tablet someday). Much prefer having an actual book (if only for the tactile bit. or that if I lose the book or it gets damaged, I’m only out ~$10 vs. the cost of my phone or some e-reader).
I also hadn’t really thought much about it–it was in college (when I had the “excuse” to buy books) that I started ramping up the collection, and into present-day, having the option to purchase books.
As a kid with a mom who worked at the local library, I read even more than now, and did so with borrowed books. These days…I swear I wind up paying the cost of a book anyway in late fees when I forget to take a book back in a decent time.
Thank you!
I’ve definitely grown my book collection as a college student, mostly because I sort of rediscovered my love of reading during college, but also because my interests and taste in books have grown quite a bit since that rediscovery.
It’s funny that you mention late fees from the library, because I don’t think I’ve ever remembered to return a book on time since I started using my local library. I also don’t use it too often though because I much prefer to have my own copies of books.