1.amateur_cataloging

here are the steps i took to catalog my personal library

1. data entry

in the age of formula-mutable spreadsheets, i went straight to data entry. i built my spreadsheet out with basic descriptive categories and added tabs and columns as they became necessary. you can see my final spreadsheet at the end of this article, but here are the basics that you can adapt to suit your own collection:

author, title, place, publisher, date

i created separate tabs based on the format on my entries. copies of magazines will be suited to different citation categories than items like books or records.

once you’ve got a solid sketch of your collection, you may start to notice patterns and trends in your data.

it’s time to make some critical decisions.

2. choosing an algorithm

deciding on a method to organize your books may seem daunting. fear not! we stand on the shoulders of giants. if none of the current methods i mention below are acceptable, PLEASE invent a new one:

if you’ve spent some time in a library, you may be familiar with one call number system or another: Dewey Decimal, Library of Congress (LC), … these are examples of institutionalized sorting algorithms. there are definite benefits to adopting these popular methods: they are standardized and follow culturally-developed ideas of organization. there are also definite downsides to adopting these popular methods: they are standardized and follow culturally-developed ideas of organization.

if you’re interested in cataloging like the pros, you’ll certainly find worldcat.org of use. i included a column on my own spreadsheet for LC call numbers since i find having a formal call number on hand helpful for digital computing.

unless you’ve elected to use a standard call number system, you’ll need to make some decisions about how you’ll sort your collection within the categories you’ve drawn up. one strategy is to tag your entries with keywords based on your own browsing habits. i achieved this with a column for “themes”.

i chose to sort by theme based on the data i collected in my spreadsheet.

3. labeling

based on your sorting algorithm, you can choose to label your items and/or the shelves where you’ll place them. because of the logistic challenges of devising a sequential call number system of your own, i recommend only labeling your items with existing call numbers. at least to start…

for the home library, i encourage shelf-labeling over item-labeling. consider all the used book stores you’ve ever rifled through and the subject labels stuck on bookcases with masking tape. what would those subjects look like in your own collection? where would you draw thematic or format-based categories?

i allocated shelf space to several categories and tangentially placed similar categories as possible. some considerations for this step will overlap with the more practical matter of shelving.

here’s where i drew my lines:

• feminist literature/essays

• music

• religion

• sociology

• analysis/linguistics

• physics

• DIY

• art

• oversize

4. shelving

where will your collection live? how will you interfile additions?

serials, like journals and magazines, tend to come well-labeled and can be comfortably shelved chronologically to fill shelves end to end. you likely won’t be shelving items between consecutive volumes.

collection of NatGeo magazines shelved chronologically, end-to-end

similarly, complete collections such as encyclopedias or memorial collections should be shelved end-to-end.

shelves of novels and monographs may warrant room for growth, especially if you anticipate new additions of similar titles. leave room at the end of each shelf or cubby for similar titles, you may collect.

consider creating an oversize section in your library for books that wont fit on a regular-sized shelf.

5. make it yours :p

libraries are not just shelves of books. live in your library <3

find my complete catalog below: