I worked at the Huntington Museum and Library a few years ago and got a tour of their vault--pause to wipe reminiscent drool. I can't remember the specific term for the books, but it was quite the fashion a couple of centuries ago to take apart your books and bind them together again so that bits on teh same subject were paged together. The pages would be trimmed to fit willy nilly. The curators at the museum are very conflicted over those books because some of them have pages from books that have otherwise been lost, but then again, those books were lost because fashionistas tore them apart.

Mass market books I have no problem with converting into decorative thingies. You could probably get some nifty 3-D sculptures from the remaindered copies of Jacquelinn Susann books or the stuff on the Barnes & Noble "buy it before we chuck it" shelves.

I shriek about designers who come into people's rooms, look at the books cases and go, "OK, that's just clutter, we'll help you get rid of a bunch of those--or at least put them somewhere where they won't ruin the asthetics."

Totally.

Books ruin aesthetics? To me, they say "Hi. I'm not a moron." (Unless it's a hardback of "Culture Warrior" or something.)

I shriek about designers who come into people's rooms, look at the books cases and go, "OK, that's just clutter, we'll help you get rid of a bunch of those--or at least put them somewhere where they won't ruin the asthetics."

I've seen this happen on more than one design show, and it freaks me out.

Books ruin aesthetics?

If that is the case my apartment has no aesthetics because there are books in nearly every room.

Books ruin aesthetics?

From the shows I've seen, apparently book shelves should have knick knacks and empty space and little flower arrangments--oh, and a few books might look good, but too many of one sort of thing makes a room look unbalanced. Plus you need lots of empty wall space to put up ugly art pieces.

To me, a wall is for a book case to stand against. And a book case is for books.

So true--although we just saw a cool show where a couple had an entirely book-filled room, and they built sliding bookcases on rails, so they could fit more in. Very cool.

In my current apartment, I've got what would ordinarily be the second bedroom (though wicked tiny if it was a roommate situation) as, for want of a better word, the Library. Books on 3 sides, with a futon on the fourth (since it does double as guest bedroom). And, yet, I have books, and lots of them, in other rooms.

I wish to own my own domicile someday, but I'm scared - too many of my books spent time in boxes piled up in corners in my prior residences, but I doubt I will be able get this much space when I buy, at least if I'm going to stay in MA.

A library is the one reason I'm contemplating spending more money on an apartment in Seattle than in DC. Even though Seattle is slightly cheaper, apartment-wise, I'm like "But for just a little more, I could have TWO bedrooms, and one could be my LIBRARY!"

I'm also very excited because in my 48 hours in Seattle, I saw not one but TWO awesome looking libraries (the main one downtown, and the Ballard one), whereas DC has the suckiest library system EVAH.

I really like the website etsy because they have neat stuff for sale, but there is heavy book destruction there either people making journals from hardbound books, or selling just the covers, or people cutting up books for art card thingies.

I keep wanting to buy all the books that are for sale and advertised as being perfect to cut up.

The local library has a big book sale every year in the fall and this year it's been expanded into 2 days. I'm so excited -- more books for cheap!

I'm like "But for just a little more, I could have TWO bedrooms, and one could be my LIBRARY!"

You have no idea what a thrill this is until you actually have one. I lived in studios for 10+ years, and now I've got more room than I know how to deal with. Buying something will probably mean scaling back space, and that scares me. Thankfully, I'm trying to be very aware of filling up what I have now, because it will be untenanble the next time I move, most likely (still hoping to find that cursed house that is going for a song - after some of the neighbors and landlords I've dealt with, ghosts would be almost calming).