Book Hoarder Versus Book Collector

How To Go From Book Hoarding To Book Collecting

What defines whether you are a book hoarder, or a book collector? I feel like there is a very clear difference between the two.

In Japan, they have a word for it: Tsundoku. It's a noun that describes a person who buys books and doesn't read them, and then lets them pile up on the floor, on shelves, and assorted pieces of furniture.

That is one very big indicator of a book hoarder, however there are also smaller indicators. For instance, you have the book hoarder that actually reads the books that they acquire but they are unwilling to ever remove a book from their hoard, regardless of whether they actually enjoyed that book or not. 

There is a large difference between having a book hoard and a book collection. A book hoard is a chaotic mess of disorder, excessive acquisition. A book collection has order, discernment, the careful selection of that of which is desired to own and that of which is not.

I am guilty of book hoarding. When I first started this book blog, and first stumbled upon BookTube, my biggest desire was to read all of the books, own all of the books. I still had the ability to unhaul books that I found myself disliking, but I also wanted to hang onto the books that I thought of as just being okay simply for the fact that I wanted to own a massive library. I noticed that most of the BookTuber's shelves looked like mine. A lot of books, not a very strong attachment to most of those books. My tastes in books has drastically changed throughout this year, and therefore I was no longer content with my personal library. I have finally gotten my library to a place that makes me happy. All of the books on my bookshelves are books that I have either already read and loved, or books that I have not yet read, but am excited to read.

It's not about how many books you own, it is about owning the books that mean something to you.

I don't desire to own books now purely for the sake of owning books. What brings me the greatest joy is owning books that I love.