How to Organize Your(My) Library ?

[28thNewYork]

Since I've unleashed my "collector" personna in the arena of the ACW, I've managed to acquire a large number of books (nothing unusual for a former English teacher married to a retired English professor). There are now enough of them that I need to think about both organizing them and future acquisitions.

Space is not the issue, nor is providing the shelving,etc. on which to store/display them. What I really am asking about is how they should be ordered for future accessibility and use.

Anyone have any thoughts or advice on how you do it or wish you had done it?

 

[mphstteach]

I just order mine A-Z by author. I have heard some people breaking them down into genres and then A-Z, but I only have around 500 or so and don't feel the need for genres.

 

[James S.]

I usually organize my unit histories by state, North and South, and books on battles by year of the battle.

 

[chellers]

28th, some members have shown us their libraries and described their ordering systems:
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/whats-in-your-cw-library.98161/#post-850845

 

[1SGDan]

I have one. Everything with an a in it goes to the right. Everything else goes to the left. When there is no more room the floor works too

 

[JeffBrooks]

As far as the Civil War books go, I organize them as follows:

Section 1: General Histories, Reference Books
Section 2: Biographies, alphabetical by last name of subject
Section 3: Eastern Theater, chronological
Section 4: Western Theater: chronological (includes Trans-Mississippi)
Section 5: Naval Warfare
Section 6: Unit Histories, alphabetical by state
Section 7: Specialized studies

 

[ole]

My battle books are divided into theaters and arranged chronologically. Then those that cover the entire war: Nevins, Catton, McPherson, Foote, "Battles & Leaders," etc. Biographies have their own section arranged alphabetically by subject. Then there are the political/social preliminaries and aftermath commentaries -- the "why and wherefores." Then there is a section for books that don't handily fit into any of the categories. R.E. Lee, The Wanderer, Lincoln Finds a General, The Collected Works, Plain Honest Men, etc. Fiction also has its own section.

The grouping helps me find something I'm looking for -- when and if I'm looking for something.

 

[28thNewYork]

My battle books are divided into theaters and arranged chronologically. Then those that cover the entire war: Nevins, Catton, McPherson, Foote, "Battles & Leaders," etc. Biographies have their own section arranged alphabetically by subject. Then there are the political/social preliminaries and aftermath commentaries -- the "why and wherefores." Then there is a section for books that don't handily fit into any of the categories. R.E. Lee, The Wanderer, Lincoln Finds a General, The Collected Works, Plain Honest Men, etc. Fiction also has its own section.

The grouping helps me find something I'm looking for -- when and if I'm looking for something.

Do you keep a separate section for first edition, numbered limited editions, first editions, and/or signed/autographed ?

 

[1SGDan]

My battle books are divided into theaters and arranged chronologically. Then those that cover the entire war: Nevins, Catton, McPherson, Foote, "Battles & Leaders," etc. Biographies have their own section arranged alphabetically by subject. Then there are the political/social preliminaries and aftermath commentaries -- the "why and wherefores." Then there is a section for books that don't handily fit into any of the categories. R.E. Lee, The Wanderer, Lincoln Finds a General, The Collected Works, Plain Honest Men, etc. Fiction also has its own section.

The grouping helps me find something I'm looking for -- when and if I'm looking for something.

Ole wouldn't it be easier to use the CWS system then all you would need is a three volume set of Foote?

 

[ole]

Ole wouldn't it be easier to use the CWS system then all you would need is a three volume set of Foote?

Foote tells a great story in a highly readable style, but it's a splendid overview if you're not looking for detail.

 

[ole]

Do you keep a separate section for first edition, numbered limited editions, first editions, and/or signed/autographed ?

No. Some are signed, some are collectible firsts, but they are organized by topic.

My two "Shiloh" books by Cunningham sit side by side. One is the messed up first edition and the other is the corrected copy.

 

[FarawayFriend]

I have my library organized in two different rooms, so I have fiction in one room, in alphabetical order by the authors and non fiction in the other, in subject order. Within the subjects I have different systems which I find appropriate to each subject.
But there are exceptions: I have some nice editions of the complete works of some authors and I like to show off by displaying them in the sitting room .
An as I tend to be a hypochondriac, my "medical" books stand near my bedside, no matter if it's medical advice (e.g. how to treat a common cold, although of course I never simply have a common cold, I always suffer from some strange, rare illness most doctors never have heard about, which makes treatment so difficult ) or medical history.

 

[adisciu9]

I have arranged my ACW books by years and battle. Bio materail (e.g., Lee's Lieutenants, Grant's Bio) are at the end.

 

[rbasin]

Author. Keep it simple

 

[major bill]

I sort of stuff books anywhere then accuse my wife of hiding any book I can not find.

OK I exaggerated a bit. Because I research military uniforms, I have about 1000 books on military uniforms. I put all the U.S. military uniform books in order of years covered, as best I can. Then I put all non U.S. military uniforms books by size. I have about 2000 other books on military history and they are simply a mess. I do need to get the books into proper order, but I buy 3 or 4 books every week and have to make room for them. I also have a "new books awaiting proper placement" shelf.

 

[1950lemans]

Mine are organized according to "usage". Those used the most are on a small bookshelf; all others are piled on the floor in an upstairs crawlspace. Works for me. I couldn't even donate my books if I wanted to. Their so full of underlining, notes and stickys that don't come off anymore!

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Mine is organized as follows:

Official Records
Supplement to the Official Records
Campaigns of the Civil War
Confederate bios
Union bios
General reference
Eastern Theater campaigns
Western Theater campaigns
Confederate cavalry regimentals
Union cavalry regimentals
Confederate cavalry memoirs/letters
Union cavalry memoirs/letters
Infantry and artillery regimental histories
Confederate memoirs/letters
Union memoirs/letters
Miscellaneous

 

[101combatvet]

Since I've unleashed my "collector" personna in the arena of the ACW, I've managed to acquire a large number of books (nothing unusual for a former English teacher married to a retired English professor). There are now enough of them that I need to think about both organizing them and future acquisitions.

Space is not the issue, nor is providing the shelving,etc. on which to store/display them. What I really am asking about is how they should be ordered for future accessibility and use.

Anyone have any thoughts or advice on how you do it or wish you had done it?

My library is organized by period and subject matter. For example: Civil War books on theses shelves start with regimental histories, books on battles, books on Gettysburg, books on personalities, books on miscellaneous subjects, books on collecting and so forth. Easy right?