Re-Organizing My Gardening Library

So I have a lot of books. Before we moved to Washington state in 2016 from Alabama, I had even more but I got rid of most of my library with the exception of my gardening books. I also have quite a number of film history and biographies which you cannot see in the photo. The main unit, front and center, is the bulk of my gardening library, which consists of around 325 titles. To the left is my collection of "The Secret Garden" editions and a half-hearted collection of Ruth Rendell & PD James novels. And the books along the top are miscellaneous titles and ones that I'm in the process of reading.

Earlier this week, we had a cold, windy and rainy day, the perfect day for an overdue project - organizing and recording the library. Before this, I had the books arranged by subject matter, but this was not working for me. It seemed that every time I needed to find a particular book, it took me a while to locate it. I decided to organize the books by author. I usually remember the authors in my head but sometimes that doesn't always work. So, for good measure, I made a spreadsheet on my computer and recorded each one. (I have all the plants in the garden on a spreadsheet too). So now, there is order and if I can't remember who the author is, I should be able to find it quickly on the spreadsheet with a keywork search.

Since moving, I had added many titles because gardening books are easier to find here and I'm always coming across interesting titles. Our local library has a nice used book section that you can browse and pay on the honor system. Sometimes I find fascinating books there (but most often not). HPSO (Hardy Plant Society of Oregon) has occasional book sales and they are an excellent source for older gardening titles.

Recently, I was thrilled to find a wonderful used bookstore here in Vancouver called Vintage Books. It is a cozy little place, packed with books and there are even two resident cats (one whose name is Oliver!). They have a decent-sized gardening section as well a great mystery section.

I have a growing "to read" list. I come across many titles while reading other books that reference them. I also come across titles that interest me by watching people who review books on YouTube. When seeking out the books, I can then usually find them on Amazon or E-bay for little of nothing. However, when a local shop, like Vintage Books has them, I will buy them there. 

As I was organizing, dusting, recording, etc., I realized that I have a lot of books that I have not yet read. I also found duplicate copies of books that I didn't even know I had. I also noted that quite a number of books were signed, some directly to me but many others not. This happens when you pick up books at sales and don't look too closely at them. I was thrilled to find that I have a signed book by Graham Stuart Thomas. That was exciting!

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy