For a couple of years now, I’ve been trying to get a handle on my library. It needed to be completely rearranged, and I needed a good place to put oversized books. Susan came up with a brilliant idea for how to accommodate that need. We got rid of the huge particle board computer desk, and replaced it with the Elfa shelving system from The Container Store. There are now three shelves of oversized books above the new desk, and I have a new desk and place for our old iMac computer.
So, here’s some library porn for you. Every book that you see in these photos is a book on the American Civil War.
This first image
is the corner, where two walls of built-in floor to ceiling bookcases come together. I guess you could call that ground zero of the library.
In this photo, you can see new desk with the three shelves of oversized books above it.
And, finally, this is the right wall. It’s longer than the other wall and has more available space.
Fortunately, after the reorganization, I have about a bookcase and a half left of empty space, so that there is still room left to grow.
I didn’t photograph them, but there are also three bookcases of other history books in the room, ranging from basic military history to presidential biographies, and pretty much everything in between. I also have a bookcase of nothing but books about the Revolutionary War in our bedroom next to my nightstand. And then there are Susan’s books…..
We like books.
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My wife and daughter thought I was addicted to CW books. I’ve got nothing compared to the amount of books that you have. Looks very nice!
Thanks, Paul. For what ought to be obvious reasons, that’s my favorite room in the house. Needless to say, there’s lots of money tied up in the contents of that room…..
Eric, I’m jealous. I ran out of book shelf room three years ago…
Todd
Eric,
I am envious Hoss. My library isn’t nearly as organized. I really dig the 8 ceiling-to-floor shelves. When I was there last time, I could barely contain my drool. This time I’ll need a Montgomery Inn-type bib.
Maybe when the kids leave home, I’ll have more space. … A man can dream can’t he?
Mike
Eric,
Floor to ceiling is what I will be building too. The plans are in hand, I just need to do the work. I, of course, will be bitter that you have yours until mine are done!
Best regards,
Dennis
The problem with going floor-to-ceiling is you have no place to hang Civil War art …
Jim,
Sure I do. They cover the walls of my office at work. 🙂
Eric
I like your term, “Library Porn.” Made me laugh.
Nice collection!
Eric,
What is your organization pattern? Basically mine is campaign studies broken down by theater, bios separated Union & Confederate, regimentals by state and reference material. Special consideration given for Zouaves, CW medicine, Navy and fiction. Very little Navy and fiction, probably 2 percent or less combined.
Hi I am Mike, a CW bibliophile in need of a sponsor. 🙂
Mine is very similar. First are the OR’s. Then Confederate bios. Then Union bios. Then general reference. Then Eastern Theater campaigns, then Western Theater campaigns, then Confederate cavalry, then Union cavalry, then Confederate memoirs, then Union memoirs, and then Confederate unit histories and then Union unit histories, and finally miscellaneous.
Looks nice; an enviable setup. Reminds me I need to organize my collection someday.
It was a BIG job, Drew. The best thing that I can say about it is that it’s finished. 🙂
With all your heavy, oversized books shelved directly above the workstation I bet you’re glad you don’t live in earthquake country.
That’s a VERY safe bet, Drew. 🙂
APtly titled. I could look at pictures of your library all day long. Like you I have an extesive library on the Civil Way (over 4400 volumes) I too am running out of room. Thanks for sharing your pictures and ideas.
You’re welcome, Andy. It’s been a long haul, but I finally have them in some semblance of usable order and organization.
A man who has book shelf space isn’t worth knowing ! LOL
To quote Marcus Tullius Cicero: “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
As a librarian by profession, I have my Civil War Library arranged staring with the Eastern campaigns, the Western campaigns, Union bio, Rebel Bio, Lincoln, regimental-unit and general history-reference.
Library porn indeed!
How many books are in your collection? How about a list of the top 50 cavalry books for those of us trying to build a good starter library? Many people really do not know what is really good versus popular works. Thanks again, ERIC..
James,
Somewhere in the range of 1500 or so.
That’s a fabulous idea. Let me give it a bit of thought, and I will do a post on that very subject. Thanks for the suggestion.
Eric
I have my library with Southern books on the southwall and Northern books on the North Wall arranged in alphabetical order by biography. The West wall has all of the books on battles arranged in the time sequence in which they occured. The East wall has the navy and books on misc. Civil War weapons and equipment. This is the only way that I could find quickly the book that I was looking for. I have Civil War fiction and books on Lincoln in seperate book cases in another room. I hope this system helps others.