More students (and teachers) should grasp this concept. School is a great thing, to be sure, but so is learning on your own. If we can bring that type of learning into our schools… oh, what a time we could have.
But it’s like Jim Henson said: “Your kids… don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.”
One of the things we’ve tried hard to do in our house is to make it a place of learning while also making it as unlike school as possible. What this shakes out to, essentially, is thinking about the house as a library.
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Updated April 2026
“When you stand inside somebody’s library, you get a powerful sense of who they are, and not just who they are now but who they’ve been… It’s a wonderful thing to have in a house.”
There’s something that happens when you walk into a room full of books that doesn’t happen anywhere else.
Don’t believe me? Go to your public library. Walk to the first stack you see and just stand there for a minute. Don’t browse. Don’t pull anything out. Just stand there and let it hit you.
That pull you feel — that sense that something in this room has something to say to you specifically — is real. And you can have it at home.
I started building my personal library seriously during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world went quiet, and books became my primary companions. Three years later, my collection has grown into something that tells a story about who I was, who I am, and who I’m trying to become. Every shelf is a record of a season of life.
If you’ve ever wanted to build a personal library but didn’t know where to start — or if you have books scattered around your house in a state of benign chaos and want to bring some intention to them — this is your guide.
Why Build a Personal Library?
The most honest answer: because books deserve a home, not a pile.
But there’s more to it than organization. Nassim Nicholas Taleb has a provocative theory about this: “Read books are far less valuable than unread ones,” he writes in The Black Swan. “Your library should contain as much of what you do not know as your financial means allow. You will accumulate more knowledge and more books as you grow older, and the growing number of unread books on the shelves will look at you menacingly.”
He calls this an antilibrary — the idea that the books you haven’t read yet are the most important part of the collection, because they represent what you still don’t know.
I find this both humbling and motivating. My shelves are a constant reminder that the world is larger than what I’ve managed to read so far. That seems like exactly the right relationship to have with knowledge.
Beyond philosophy: a personal library is a tool for thinking. When you’re working through a problem — writing a dissertation, designing a curriculum, trying to understand a moment in history — having the right books physically accessible changes the quality of your thinking. You don’t have to remember where you read something; you just walk to the shelf.
Step One: Start With What You Already Have
The biggest mistake people make when deciding to build a personal library is thinking they need to start from scratch.
You probably have books already — scattered across rooms, stacked in corners, shoved into random shelves. Before you buy anything new, gather them. Pull them all into one place. Spread them out.
This exercise does two things. First, it shows you what you already have — including books you forgot you owned. Second, it shows you what kind of reader you are. The subjects that keep appearing, the authors you’ve collected multiple books from, the genres that dominate: that’s your intellectual fingerprint. It tells you what your library is already becoming.
From there, curating is mostly about intention. Each book you add should either deepen something you care about or open a door to something you don’t know yet.
Choosing Your Space
A personal library doesn’t require a dedicated room. It requires a dedicated intention.
If you have a spare room, great — you have the classic home library. If you don’t, here’s what actually works:
A single wall of shelving is enough to hold 200–400 books and to create a visual anchor that feels like a library, even in a living room. Floor-to-ceiling built-ins are the dream; adjustable freestanding shelves work perfectly well and can be rearranged as your collection grows.
A dedicated corner with a comfortable reading chair and good lighting becomes a library for practical purposes. The physical definition of the space matters more than its size.
Books throughout the house are also a valid approach. Many serious readers have books in every room — fiction in the bedroom, non-fiction and reference in the office, kids’ books in the living room. The “library” is the whole house.
The key requirement, whatever the space is, is to keep it quiet, keep it well-lit, and make it somewhere you want to spend time.
The Tools That Make a Real Library
This is where most personal library guides fall short — they talk about books without talking about the physical tools that make a collection feel cared for and functional.
Bookshelves
The shelf is the foundation. Get something sturdy enough to hold the weight (books are heavy), adjustable enough to accommodate different sizes, and attractive enough that you want to look at it.
Cube shelving — the standard for a reason. Modular, affordable, holds a lot.
You need these. Books left without support lean, warp, and damage their spines over time. A good pair of bookends is both functional and a small aesthetic statement.
Cast iron bookends are my preference — heavy enough to actually work, and they look like they belong in a library.
Bookplates and Date Stamps
This is one of my favorite parts of owning a physical library. Bookplates — small labels that go inside the front cover — are how you mark a book as permanently yours, the way institutional libraries have done for centuries. They’re inexpensive, and they make every book feel owned rather than acquired.
I use a date stamp to record when I add a book to the collection — an idea I shamelessly stole from Austin Kleon. There’s something satisfying about a record of when things arrived.
A library is also a reading space. A few things that earn their place:
A good reading light — clip-on LED lights for late-night reading without disturbing anyone.
Page holder/book stand — for reading large reference books or keeping a book open while you take notes.
Sticky flag tabs — my standard tool for marking passages while I read, so I can return to them without stopping to take notes.
Blackwing pencils — for writing in the margins. Yes, I write in my books. It’s a thing, and it’s fine.
Organizing Your Personal Library
There is no wrong answer here. The only organizational system that matters is one you’ll actually maintain.
That said, here are the approaches worth considering:
By genre and subject — the most intuitive for most readers. Fiction in one section, history in another, science in another. Easy to find things, and browsing by section often leads to serendipitous rediscoveries.
Alphabetically by author — precise and unambiguous. Takes the guesswork out of finding anything specific. Works best once a collection is large enough that “roughly where it should be” is no longer good enough.
By reading status — unread, read, re-read. This is closer to Taleb’s antilibrary philosophy: keeping the unread books prominent reminds you of what’s still waiting.
By color — visually stunning, practically useless for finding anything. I don’t recommend this for a working library, but it photographs beautifully.
My own shelves use a hybrid: broad subject categories, with each alphabetized. It’s imperfect, and I’m fine with that.
Cataloging Your Collection
Once you have more than a few hundred books, a catalog becomes genuinely useful. The best tool for this is LibraryThing or Goodreads — both let you track what you own, what you’ve read, and what you want to read. LibraryThing has better collection management features; Goodreads has a larger community and better reading tracking.
Scan ISBN barcodes with your phone, and both apps will auto-populate title, author, and cover art. A collection of 500 books can be cataloged in a couple of evenings.
Where to Find Books
New books from independent bookstores — this is how I prefer to buy. Bookshop.org lets you shop online while supporting independent bookshops; worth knowing about as an alternative to Amazon when you’re buying books specifically.
Amazon — fast, reliable, often the best price on new releases. My Amazon Associates links throughout this post are the honest version of this recommendation.
ThriftBooks and AbeBooks — excellent for used books, out-of-print titles, and building a collection affordably. ThriftBooks, in particular, has very good condition grading and free shipping over a low threshold. Thriftbooks also has an educator program that gets you a free book for every five books you order – I use this too much…
Used bookstores and library sales — the treasure-hunting approach. You rarely find what you were looking for, but you almost always find something worth having. Library book sales are especially good for building deep collections in specific subjects at very low cost.
Estate sales and thrift stores — more misses than hits, but the hits can be remarkable. Old hardcovers in good condition for a dollar or two.
Creating the Right Atmosphere
The physical space matters. A collection of excellent books in a harsh, uncomfortable room is still an uncomfortable room.
Seating — you need somewhere to sit and read in or near your library. A good reading chair — something with arm support, comfortable back support, and the right height for reading — is worth the investment.
Lighting — a combination of ambient overhead light and a dedicated reading lamp. Warm light (2700–3000K color temperature) is easier on the eyes during long reading sessions than cool white light. LED floor lamps with adjustable color temperature work well.
Personal touches — artwork, plants, a small table for your coffee or tea, objects that mean something. This is your space. The books should be surrounded by other things you care about.
A Note on Digital Books
I read on my Kindle. I also own physical books of almost everything I’ve read on my Kindle that I thought was worth keeping.
These are not competing formats. They serve different purposes. The Kindle is for commuting, travel, and reading in the dark. Physical books are for reference, re-reading, and the library itself. If I read something on Kindle that earns a permanent place in my thinking, I buy the physical copy.
The Kindle Paperwhite remains the best e-reader for serious readers — good screen, long battery, excellent library integration. But it doesn’t replace the shelf.
FAQs
How many books do I need to start? No minimum. Fifteen books arranged with intention on a single shelf is a personal library. Start where you are.
How much does it cost? As much or as little as you want. A library built entirely from used books, thrift stores, and library sales costs almost nothing. A library of new hardcovers in dedicated built-in shelving costs quite a bit. Most real libraries land somewhere in between.
How do I maintain it? Dust occasionally. Keep books out of direct sunlight (UV fades spines and damages paper). Keep them away from high humidity. Don’t store them flat — books shelved warp horizontally over time. That’s really it.
Should I loan books out? I have opinions about this. Lend books you’re comfortable with the possibility of not getting back. For books that matter to you, buy a second copy specifically for lending. You’ll be happier.
What about books I’ve read and didn’t love? Donate them, give them away, sell them. A library should be curated, not comprehensive. The books that stay should be the ones you’d read again, recommend, or refer back to. The rest can go find a new reader.
The Last Word
Building a personal library is a long game. It takes years to assemble a collection that genuinely reflects who you are, and it should — because who you are keeps changing, and a good library should change with you.
Start small. Buy the books you love. Add the books you’re curious about. Make the space comfortable enough that you want to spend time in it.
The rest happens on its own.
My own collection lives and grows at the intersection of speculative fiction, history, education, and whatever I’m obsessing about this year. If you want to know what I’m reading, I share updates in my newsletter. And if you want to see the tools I use for reading and note-taking, they live on my Favorite Gear page.
Are you looking to read more books but can’t seem to find the time or the motivation? You’re not alone. The world is full of distractions that can waste your time and energy. But for those who have a passion for the written word, there are ways to overcome these hurdles and cultivate a robust reading habit.
Reading more books is an admirable goal that can expand your mind, improve your cognitive abilities, and offer you a richer, more nuanced understanding of the world. Bibliophiles like Tyler Cowen and Ryan Holiday are well-known for consuming vast quantities of books yearly. Let’s explore their strategies and learn from their habits.
Tyler Cowen: Quantity and Quality
Economics professor and co-founder of the blog Marginal Revolution, Tyler Cowen, is known for his voracious reading habits, consuming hundreds of books per year. How does he do it? Here are a few insights.
1. Skim first: Cowen advocates for speed reading or skimming through a book before deciding whether to devote more time to it. Skimming allows you to get the gist of the book, which can help you decide if it’s worth delving deeper.
2. Don’t be afraid to quit: If a book isn’t engaging or useful, Cowen recommends abandoning it. There’s no sense in wasting time on a book that isn’t providing value. Life is too short, and there are too many good books out there to stick with one that’s not working for you.
3. Read broadly, but specialize too: Cowen suggests reading widely to expose yourself to a variety of ideas, but also recommends specializing in certain areas. By focusing on specific subjects, you can develop a deeper understanding and knowledge base.
Ryan Holiday: Deliberate and Reflective Reading
Ryan Holiday, author, media strategist, and populizer of all things stoic philosophy, is another avid reader who goes through hundreds of books a year. He has a different approach to reading than Cowen; here are some of his strategies:
1. Always have a book with you: Holiday suggests always having a book on hand. This allows you to fill in those idle moments with reading rather than scrolling through your phone.
2. Note-taking and marginalia: Holiday is a firm believer in active reading. He takes notes, underlines passages, and writes in the margins of his books. This helps him engage more deeply with the material and aids in recall later on.
3. Reflect and review: Holiday recommends reviewing your notes and even rereading books to ensure comprehension and retention. By reflecting on what you’ve read, you can deepen your understanding and apply the knowledge to your own life.
Conclusion: Develop Your Own Reading Habit
While Cowen and Holiday have different strategies, they share a deep love of reading and a commitment to making it a priority. If you want to read more books, consider trying some of their strategies.
Remember, the goal isn’t just to read more books for the sake of quantity but to enrich your mind and life. So skim or dive deep, read broadly or specialize, take notes or reflect — find what works best for you and make reading a part of your daily routine. The world of books is vast and varied, and there’s always something new to discover.
The Eclectic Educator is a free resource for everyone passionate about education and creativity. If you enjoy the content and want to support the newsletter, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Your support helps keep the insights and inspiration coming!
I had no idea that Wil Wheaton graced my home state with his presence back in March at the Southern Kentucky Book Fest. I can’t tell you how bummed I am that I missed seeing him speak.
Neverminding my failure to stay on top of cool things, Mr. Wheaton was nice enough to post a copy of his remarks on his site. I’m just a few years younger than Wil and not only empathize with his childhood experiences but can say I had my own version of them.
I also totally agree that “the library is a safe place” for everyone.
In order to survive, I disassociated for much of my childhood, but I clearly remember the books. That’s where I found comfort, companionship, inspiration and validation. It’s where the imagination that powers everything I do creatively in my life today was born. And it all started in that library, with that librarian. She was one of the first people I can remember asking me, “What do you like? What’s important to you? What do you want to know more about? How can I help you find it?”
That moment was so special and meaningful, not just then, but for years after. When I got older, I began to learn that so much of what had been presented to me as truth in school wasn’t just false, it was propaganda. I remember the first time I saw a banned books display at a bookstore in the mall when we were on location for Stand By Me. I wanted to read all of them, because I’d figured out that if They didn’t want me to, there must be something pretty great inside.
I read To Kill A Mockingbird, and began thinking about racism and injustice.
I read 1984 and Brave New World, and began thinking about autocrats, and what it meant to be truly free to choose our own destinies.
I read Johnny Got His Gun, and All Quiet on the Western Front, and saw firsthand the horrors of war.
