Homeschool Home Libraries Message Board

Well, I started this group, but at this time I don't have many of my children's books cataloged, yet. LOL! I started with my dh books and some other misc.books. My next venture is to enter the children's books (the largest group). Now, since I started this group I have incentive to get going! Ü Blessings, Laurie

I did a search for other homeschool groups and nothing came up. I even searched the groups then I went to the complete list again and found another homeschool group. I am not sure this group I just started is necessary now. I may keep it up for a couple of days and see if anyone thinks it is necessary or not. Let me know. please. Blessings, Laurie

I guess the definition of a group could be just "more than one" couldn''t it? So here we are the two of us for now and I think your description of the group fits me exactly. I am always looking for one more scrap of wall space to cram a bookshelf.

I saw from your profile that you have a lot of childrens nonfiction. My library probably weighs more heavily on the fiction side....especially historical fiction and mysteries which I have always loved from childhood.

I did join the other homeschool group for discussion on books for homeschooling but I think a lot of people homeschool without having the sheer amount of books that some of us do. Hence a library that is also a home? :-) My DH is very indulgent of me but I bet if I asked him he would say that is just what we have.

I started the Central Maryland Homeschool Library group but I am trying to keep that as a private group just for my local homeschool peple for now and it will take me awhile to get something going there.

How did you keep track of your books before Librarything?
Kristi

Thanks for joining, Kristi. I know that there are many of us who live in our libraries LOL. I think we may be members of other Yahoo groups together that also focus on these things. I have been a member of Valerie's BookRoom since 1999. I think you are right, this group will focus on the library aspect of owning children's books and the stocking, caring, and collecting of these cherished books. Sound good?

On cataloging my books before Librarything...I tried Access, but it was tiresome to enter all the details so I got 1000+ series books entered and I gave up. I probably should see if I could somehow inport the titles from Acdess into Librarything to quicken my process. I was going to purchase Michelle Miller's database, but then when I found LibraryThing I was sold on it!

Great to see you here, I am going to go over now and join the Homeschool group for discussion of homeschooling books.

Great to meet you and thands again for joining.

I have mountains of books in almost every available space in my house. I also have several floor to ceiling bookshelves overflowing with books. I have so many books, I don't think my kids will ever be able to read them all. I literally have thousands of them from 1st grade all the way through adult.

I'd say the books are 1/2 fiction and 1/2 nonfiction. I do have problems finding good and interesting books for older kids (10 and up). I find lots of fiction, but there is very little in the non fiction genre.

I just thought I would introduce myself and get to know you all.

By the way, before Library Thing I actually tried to make up a card catalogue system and I miserably failed at it.

Mary

Before LT (BLT? :-) I used Readerware, a desktop program to catalog my books. It is a great piece of software for the desktop but no easy way to make books available to others.

So now I have two catalogs running. Nothing like overkill :-)

I used to try to make cards for my books. It didn't last very long. Mostly I tried to keep stuff in my head and even for all the books I have, piled up and flowing over, I hardly ever buy duplicates...and if I do its usually something I can find a good home for.
Now my brain is aging and I have a hard time keeping track of myself much less kids, books and everything else. LT is going to be of great benefit in my old age :-)

I just got taller bookshelves at a second hand store for my school room so I have my work cut out for me.

Does anyone have a system for keeping track of the books in boxes and/or piles?
Kristi

Before LT (BLT? :-) I used Readerware, a desktop program to catalog my books. It is a great piece of software for the desktop but no easy way to make books available to others.

So now I have two catalogs running. Nothing like overkill :-)

I used to try to make cards for my books. It didn't last very long. Mostly I tried to keep stuff in my head and even for all the books I have, piled up and flowing over, I hardly ever buy duplicates...and if I do its usually something I can find a good home for.
Now my brain is aging and I have a hard time keeping track of myself much less kids, books and everything else. LT is going to be of great benefit in my old age :-)

I just got taller bookshelves at a second hand store for my school room so I have my work cut out for me.

Does anyone have a system for keeping track of the books in boxes and/or piles?
Kristi

sorry for the double post...thought it got hung up....fooled me!

When I had to pack up two dozen boxes of books in order to paint a wall, I took 6 - 12 books at a time and photocopied their spines on my photocopier, and then taped the pages to the box I then put them in. I also do this copying when I loan out a stack of books. It's much easier than laboriously writing out what they've borrowed. And then I make the borrower a copy, and it makes it easier for them to remember what they've borrowed.
Amy

Wow...what a great idea about the copier. I could do that.

And there you have the story of our life....not moving furniture, not packing knickknacks but packing boxes of books just to paint a wall.

When people talk about their decoration style, you know country, williamsburg etc, I say I decorate with books and since there are so many walls covered I may never have to paint again!

I am inputting Location with books as I catalogue. For moving I use a digital camera (or 'phone camera) to take a picture of sufficent clarity to re-create shelves once I re-pack. Sadly with limited space and too few shelves to accomodate my collection I also need the occassional prune. Andrew

SaintSunniva: Thanks for picture idea when loaning out books! I have done that when boxing books for storage but never thought to expand the use.

tarpfarmer: I agree with the decorating style. And it does save on painting! Hard to find a place to hang maps, tho. Have resorted to pinning them to the edges of bookshelves at times because we lack empty wall space. Tho we still have room for more shelves... :)

curleyqbooks: Before LT I used Access, too. I imported the file to LT with no problem. (think I converted it to .xls first) Was a big help in getting the bulk of our books on here.