Well, here it is. The decision every person pulling up stakes dreads.
What to do with the things we cherish most?
For some people, it is photographs For others, correspondence. For me, it is books.
I have kept almost every book I have ever read. Their contents are part of me. When I lived in this house, I would often re-read passages that popped to mind in the middle of the night when my memory starts doing cartwheels and will calm down only with an appropriate passage. Such as, where is Charles I's head buried?
As a result of my my tome acquisition syndrome, I have books corralled in at least three rooms in the house. What you see above is merely a sampling.
Before anyone says it: yes, I have lived in Mexico for almost four years without having daily access to my collection. And it would be extremely difficult and expensive to send the library south -- where it would quickly disintegrate in the heat and humidity.
So, I need to turn loose and allow the books to find new homes. But where?
My mother has offered to take a few of the biographies and historical books (no fiction, thank you very much). But what happens to the rest?
This is not really an urgent problem. Most of them can stay in the house while it is on the market. But a day of reckoning is coming. Soon.
And if any of you have some good ideas, I could start divesting myself of them while I am in Oregon on this trip.
I am ready to book out.
When I need to get rid of books, I donate them to my local public library. The Friends of the Library sells them at their annual books sale and uses the proceeds to help buy new books. I get a tax deduction. A good trade-off, in my book.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I've been a lurker on your blog for years. Appreciate your willingness to write about your experiences. Also appreciate your thoughtful commentary on politics. I am pretty much your diametrical opposite, but still enjoy reading your thoughts.
The GREATEST dilemma I had - I brought them all with me and still refer to the ones I've kept. In fact, I need to downsize again, here in Mexico. Other people buy jewels or toys or clothing, I LOVE books. I don't buy them anymore, well sorta. I now get them from friends, Goodwill and Salvation Army sell them buy the bag for next to nothing.
ReplyDeleteIt is just IMPOSSIBLE for me to give them all up........ I feel your anxiety!
I thought you were off to Hawaii
ReplyDeleteDo any of the school and university or regular libraries still accept donations?
ReplyDeleteI donated all my books to the local community library before moving; but that was before the digital book age.
Could some group, womens shelter or charity or church take them and use them in a garage sale type fund raiser?
Could a local ESL group use some in their learning English programs?
Other than that my only idea idea would be to put a box out on the curb every so often with a BIG-- Free, Take Some, sign.
Something as precious as the printed word must have someone, somewhere that would want them and give them a home.
I ran into the same problem when clearing out my parents' house, and when clearing out mine. In each case, I put aside a few cherished books that I couldn't get rid of or that could be passed down. After that it is hard. I managed to donate a large quantity in one instance to a local charter school that had book sales to raise money. I think that was the best choice. I also was able to donate a few rarer and specialty volumes to a local library. Beyond that, there are few places that accept donations, and a lot of your books may end in the dump. I would consider calling a used book dealer and having them make a bid for the lot. They haul it away. You might not make much money, but the problem would be over. I know from plenty of experience the damage moving lots of boxes of books can do to an aging back.
ReplyDeleteI love books, and sometimes, I laugh at the small collection that made it to the highlands of Honduras. A few still have a refuge in my mother's armoire. However, most were sold in garage sales or given to the Salvation Army. When you think about it, people over books is an easy choice. What do you want to have more of in your life as you move forward?
ReplyDeleteWelcome. I always like to hear from new commenters. Especially, those who bring a different perspective. Is there anything more boring than talking with people who constantly agree?
ReplyDeleteI will check with our Salem library. That may be a possibility.
But t will be a necessity. Whatever I bring down will be pulp within years.
ReplyDeleteI have an entire shelf of books I read in the first grade. Usually under the covers with a flashlight. Including Little Lord Fauntleroy. I'll bet that is a surprise.
ReplyDeleteHawaii would be too close in weather to Melaque. I am enjoying the cool of Salem.
Some good ideas. I have checked with several charities. They could use them. But not until their planned sales -- most of hem next summer or fall.
ReplyDeleteI have considered the used book shop option. There is one in town that I plan to contact tomorrow. I doubt many people are interested in a 1973 copy of Britain on $5 a Day.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct. That thought alone is enough to loosen my fingers on the books.
ReplyDeleteYou collector you !! I'm not sure I could read in the first grade. I do remember Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew for my sister. Also joined a book of the month club for flashlight in bed reading. Don't read (books) much any more
ReplyDeleteMy Kindle has relieved me of collecting any further books. For readers in Mexico, it is a great invention.
ReplyDeleteYou might hold on to that $5 a Day book. In the coming years, laughs are going to be more important than ever. In fact, I enjoyed a few good chortles thumbing through my copy of Europe on $5 a Day last spring. You can't find that stuff online.
ReplyDeleteBTW, you wouldn't happen to have a copy of Rolito, a book published in the late 40's about a little Mexican boy, would you?
If I had stayed in Oregon, I would keep the library. But it just does not fit into my current and future lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI do not seem to have any books about Mexican boys.
We got rid of over 5000 books before coming to Mexico. Mostly to the library (several). There was a used book store that had a give 10 get 1 deal - so I got a few books on Mexico l-)
ReplyDeleteI had thought the books would go to my son with a," So you want to know who I am?" There they are - read 'em ;-) But alas now there is the Kindle. I save a few hundred - but that's it.
Have you thought about donating your books to Coffee
ReplyDeleteCreek Correctional Facility for Women, in Wilsonville OR? If I had it to do over again, I would donate my books to them. The prison population, I think, is the most overlooked and forgotten, and women prisoners especially so. Here's a nice article about PCC donating books to Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. I think this story will touch your heart. (By the way, I met you recently at Lupita's Restaurant in Patzcuaro during the Day of the Dead festivities.) http://www.oregonlive.com/north-of-26/index.ssf/2012/03/pcc_rock_creek_donates_books_t.html
Great suggestion. I may contact the prisons in town.
ReplyDeleteIt was very nice meeting and talking with you at Lupita's. That visit turned out to be quite interesting.
I would like to save some books. But that does not appear to be a possibility.
ReplyDeleteWhy not stay in the house you own, with the books you love, the weather you prefer, among the friends and family whose company you enjoy? Seems like a no-brainer. But that's just me thinking outside of the box.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could take them to the local library and after they have taken what they can use, they might host an event, asking members, inviting schools etc. to come and choose the ones they want. Then all you books would have good new homes.
ReplyDeleteI am.
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel. Prior to moving to Mexico I divested myself of all my worldly belongings. Except books. Todd and I poured over them for a couple of months trying to decide which ones we could leave behind. In the end we filled our small 4' x 6' trailer with books, some photographs and music and brought them with us.
ReplyDeleteStill, we did leave 100 or more behind, because they would not fit in the trailer. Those we donated to the Salvation Army to put in their Thrift Store.
Now, after getting a Kindle, I rarely touch the real books. Odd.
When Linda retired, we gave the vast majority of her books, charts and maps to Goodwill. They have a program set up to sell books over the internet. The Goodwill people make some money for their program, teach a few lucky souls how to sell things over the internet and a buyer gets a good deal on something they were looking for-I got room for a pool table...
ReplyDeleteHi Steve. I'm a Salem fan of your blog but have never commented. You definitely need to give your books to the Friends of the Salem Public Library and then take a nice tax deduction. They would be happy to have them. They sell some in their store at the Library downtown and sell others at their annual booksale. You might need to box them up and take them there yourself, but maybe you could negotiate that with them. You could go to the library and talk to the volunteer in the store about it.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good idea.
ReplyDeleteAnother good idea.
ReplyDeleteThis is truly a cleansing exercise.
ReplyDeleteOn the list it goes.
ReplyDeleteAnd it is a very good question.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if I will have plenty of options. But it will mean some scouting. Fortunately, I can leave the books in the house while it is listed.
ReplyDeleteThat option is high on my list. Or I could turn my house into a library art gallery. ;-]
ReplyDelete