I'm both pleased and disappointed to announce that I'm rolling over the book cataloguing project as my New Year's resolution for yet another year.
As with so many resolutions, compliance has been a challenge. I've managed to keep up in terms of logging the replacement copies that I've found to date, so that I'm keeping what I have gotten done current, but I haven't made a lot of progress in completing the balance of the book logging.
In my defense, it hasn't helped that I've had to pack (and unpack) all my books twice in the last two years, which has not helped to move the project along - not to mention causing some concerns that something is going to slip through the cracks.
That being said, the book catalogue has been incredibly useful, even as a work in progress. The original project may not be complete, but the ancillary task of replacing the more battered selections in my library has been a complete success.
It's given me definite direction for book shopping, both in terms of providing guidance for purchasing replacement copies for those unfortunate texts that were more than ready for retirement, but also letting me know what I already have on my shelves and thereby letting me pick out used books that I don't already own.
It's also made me a far more aware shopper in terms of general used book inventory. I've found some replacement copies that were in surprisingly good condition, but I've also seen some books for sale that I can't imagine a used book seller accepting in the first place. Apparently my standards for book quality are higher than the current industry requirements - either that, or the supply of used books is limited to such an extent that beggars can't be choosers when it comes to accepting what comes through the door.
Fingers crossed that I get some more traction on the catalogue in 2022, but if not, well, it's a hobby, not a job - and it's not a bad thing to have something in my life where I have the freedom to just ignore the deadline if I feel like it.
- Sid
