How to Catalog a Home Library
People that like to collect books and have home libraries often find themselves having a hard time keeping track of the different books in their collections. Learning how to catalog the books in your home library will definitely help you stay organised. Deciding how to catalog your home library can be a little tricky but with a little patience and technical know how you can start to catalog your books. Keeping your home library organised will help you remember which books you like and which books you might be missing if you lend them out to friends or family. Learning to catalog your home library can also be a fun activity that you will enjoy.
Instructions
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1
Take out all of your books:
Before making a catalog for your home library it is very important that you take out all of your books and put them in one place. Also, try to remember if you have given any books to your friends or family members. Try to get all of your books back even if it is for a short period so that you will have your entire collection to make a complete catalog. -
2
Categorise your books:
Categorise your books by subject, title or author. This will help you in your first step towards efficiently keeping your home library in order. Remember it is up to you to decide on a format that works and is easy for you to understand. -
3
Use your computer:
Use your computer to create a simple database or worksheet listing all of your books in the way that you have categorised them. Make sure to keep this worksheet as simple as possible so that you do not have to fiddle for hours just trying to get it working. -
4
List books in worksheet:
Once you designed your worksheet on the computer, start listing your books by author, title or subject. This is entirely up to you as to how you want to list the books. Try to keep your listing simple and easy to understand. -
5
Stack books according to list:
Stack your books according the list that you have made on your computer. Keep it organised and be sure to follow your list or catalog exactly. -
6
Update and maintain your catalog:
Once you have stacked and listed all of your books be sure to constantly update the listing or catalog created on the computer. If you lend a book out to someone, enter it in the list next to the book title so that you can remember who has it and when it is returned. If you buy new books or get rid of older ones, regularly update your catalog accordingly.
