Worldcatlibraries.org will tell you what the closest library is for any book you are looking for.

I’m trying to work up the nerve to pare down the 13 bookcases in my house. I, too, have signed copies (from people I know, mostly history), long out-of-print volumes, books from my childhood (and my mother’s childhood), and they’re like old friends. And I reread almost all of them.

Paperbacks, bestsellers, etc, go out as soon as I’m done with them. I’m the president of our local Friends of the Library, which helps, since I see firsthand both how much pleasure the donated books bring others (I’ve seen one of my old, distinctive books sold at least six times and then redonated), and the good that the money we make for our library can do. Even though our library isn’t huge, they’ve always managed to get what I want either through our system or interlibrary loan, too. But yes, as a writer, I also understand the worry about writers earning less when fewer books are sold. For me, though, digital will never replace the multi-sensory experience of a new book.

850 is a lot? I’ve been pruning my library for a year, in preparation for moving to a house half the size of my current one, and I’m down to a mere seven *thousand*. No sympathy

Since you scanned a hundred books through your scansnap, you must have come up with a nice assemplyline process for it. Care to share?

Scholars are different. Books aren’t clutter, they’re tools of the trade.

That said, you can replace many of the “classics” with free ebooks from Project Gutenberg or manybooks.net, which only take up space on a hard drive.

However, they have book sales and donated books end up there. There’s no way to ensure I can check out a copy of my book.

I have reference computer books, historic computer books, science fiction and graphic novels. With the exception of the science fiction, my library consortium doesn’t have them. The Graphic Novels go out of print quickly and eventually are only available at a comic shop. Yes, I do reread many of my books.

However I have gotten rid of books. I’ve used Amazon’s service to sell them. You name your price and they sell it for that + shipping costs (which cover book rates + packaging). The key is to find a price that will attract a buyer. On the best sellers you compete with vendors selling at 1 cent to make the $$ on shipping.

Check out PJ’s extensive post on handling CDs. I think that you’ll find it helpful.