Automobile books and periodicals personal library

[John Bloom]

At some point in the future, I suspect that my wife and kids may have the mother of all bonfires........Until that point, I continue to buy fuel for that eventful day......I have been buying automobile books, and subscribing to automobile periodicals for a long time.  I have a lot of them.  I like them.  I don't want to be told "why do you do that, it's all on the web".  I'm not stopping.  When we travel, my wife and kids may be shopping, going to the beach, whatever.  I am researching the used bookstores in that city/town.  I get tremendous joy finding a six dollar "Studebakers of the 1920's", "multi makes of veteran cars of the british", "A lifetime of daily driving a T series MG".....etc....  

 

It is the opposite of an "organized collection".  It is very typical to buy a book and then find out I already have it (I pass it on to other like minded friends of mine).  My first start is that I am going to get a database that is accurate, that will take awhile.  The second step (and purpose of this thread) is I'd like to organize the book portion into a library that makes the most sense and is logical.  I have lots of periodicals that I've subscribed to over the years, Hemmings motor news, Collectible Automobiles, Hemmings classic car, Regional CCCA publications.  Those are easy to organize.  Group them and organize them by year.  My question is about the books.  I know there are others like me out there, Any tips?  Lots of books by make/manufacturer (Packard, Franklin, Duesenberg, Studebaker, etc......others less able to be categorized (Cars of the Harrah collection, Classic Car by Beverly Rae Kimes, Dream Garages......topical and collections that are all over the map and difficult to place.  Repair and shop manuals, etc.....  Has anyone taken a stab at organizing their books into what seems like a well thought out personal library?  Any advice or tips?

 

[Guest]

I used "Library Express"  it was wonderful until suddenly it was not there anymore.  I had all 2540 of my books catalogued by library of congress numbers.  Most were entered using this number and all of the other data was filled in by the program.  I thought the records were kept on my computer but I discovered, too late, that everything I entered was being done on line.  Everything including the company is missing.

I should do it over but I think not.  The books were bought with disposable money and I have enjoyed them so if my Wife or Son donated them all to a local book drive some people would benefit.

Make sure whatever cataloguing program you choose that it is storing everything somewhere separate from the program company.  I thought I was being smart as I had a backup on a memory stick but that was only a link to the company itself.

 

Edited August 5, 2020 by Guest (see edit history)

[CarNucopia]

I have the same, er, affliction. I have yet to catalog my books formally, but I'd guess I have 1,500 or so. The way I have them displayed is based on how I would go looking for that particular book. Some things are obvious, like keeping all Automobile Quarterlies together. Along that same theme, I have the full set of Crestline books which look nice all on the same shelf. Beyond "collections" within the collection, I sort by subject matter. Biographies are together but in two groups: Racing and auto industry. Same for marque histories: racing and road cars. Then there is a shelf for general, "encyclopedia" books. I also have a shelf for odd sized books, like those published by AQ. There are always books that could be in multiple categories so I default to the category I think is the most relevant based on content. 

 

[padgett]

Have a 12'x14' "office" with 3'x12'' closet for the computers (have been building computers into closets for a long time) It does have a window but books and service manuals are floor to ceiling on every wall, some bookcases are three paperbacks deep (used to be a field engineer, gold on three different major airlines). I usually have a service manual before ever buying a particular car though many from the last decade are .pdfs. Have some currently reading down but most are upstairs  (keep hobbies upstairs or in garages). Have a bookcase in the loft for Encyclopedias and general interest things. Do have an OED downstairs in case of Scrabble.

 

Currently have a dump of the 89 Allante Memcal I am disassembling since not much literature exists. Always have projects just try to keep each kind in a different place.

[John Bloom]

Quote

I used "Library Express"  it was wonderful until suddenly it was not there anymore.

 

Tinindian, I have looked at several of the "apps" available and Libib looks interesting to me.  The professional version is 100 dollars, but the standard one is free and allows 5,000 items categorized in up to 100 different categories.  I will do a little more research on it and it's competitors.  Good advice from you on making sure you back it up with another source in case the primary fails or the app becomes unavailable or unsupported.  

 

Car-Nicopia, I like your label of Encyclopedia books (I have many that will fit that label) as well as putting all the biographies together, regardless of the Make they were typically affiliated with.  

 

padgett, sounds like you are spread all over the place, so am I and that is what I want to finally resolve and have something organized and logical in one place.  

 

 

[1912Staver]

Like most of us I have a sizable collection of printed material. Organizing it is a huge task, my hats off to those who have been successful.  My memory is pretty good so I don't buy things twice very often. Magazines are the exception,

I often buy bulk boxes full at swap meets so some duplication is inevitable. But by the box full they are generally dirt cheap so a few duplicates really don't matter.

 

Unfortunately most of the really good books are very pricy , even second hand.

 

Greg

[John Bloom]

39 minutes ago, 1912Staver said:

Like most of us I have a sizable collection of printed material. Organizing it is a huge task, my hats off to those who have been successful.  My memory is pretty good so I don't buy things twice very often. Magazines are the exception,

I often buy bulk boxes full at swap meets so some duplication is inevitable. But by the box full they are generally dirt cheap so a few duplicates really don't matter.

 

Unfortunately most of the really good books are very pricy , even second hand.

 

Greg

Greg, I agree that there are some wonderful books that really compliment a collection.....that are pricey.  At my age, I have recently let my wife know that getting one of those higher end books I've been looking for is a great Christmas present for me.......the only thing I need for Christmas.  I'm way past the age where I can think of anything i need under the tree.......except maybe a rare book I've been coveting.  If she knows it is a little pricey, it may help keep her from throwing them all away once I'm gone.

[John Bloom]

If there is anyone out there with a nice Library, I'd be interested in hearing How you manage it and any good photos of your setup.  

[Billy Kingsley]

I photograph the cover (or spine, if there is no slipcase) and let my website put them in alphabetical order. I have only a fraction of my collection photo documented, however. 

 

Physically, I store the books by size. It's just easier that way.

[1912Staver]

1 hour ago, John Bloom said:

Greg, I agree that there are some wonderful books that really compliment a collection.....that are pricey.  At my age, I have recently let my wife know that getting one of those higher end books I've been looking for is a great Christmas present for me.......the only thing I need for Christmas.  I'm way past the age where I can think of anything i need under the tree.......except maybe a rare book I've been coveting.  If she knows it is a little pricey, it may help keep her from throwing them all away once I'm gone.

 

Most of the ones I am think of are out of print or at least  order only, usually from one of the specialist sellers. Amazon pricing is usually very high. I sometimes look on ebay and Abe book for years until I find a copy cheap enough that I will bite. Not really practical for someone like a wife to  go through the process.

There is usually a few copy's of almost any book on ebay, but most of the sellers have a price double or more than I figure the book is worth. Eventually patience usually pays off but there are several I have stalking for close to a decade without the right price being offered.

 

Greg

[8E45E]

7 hours ago, 1912Staver said:

 

Most of the ones I am think of are out of print or at least  order only, usually from one of the specialist sellers. Amazon pricing is usually very high. I sometimes look on ebay and Abe book for years until I find a copy cheap enough that I will bite. Not really practical for someone like a wife to  go through the process.

There is usually a few copy's of almost any book on ebay, but most of the sellers have a price double or more than I figure the book is worth. Eventually patience usually pays off but there are several I have stalking for close to a decade without the right price being offered.

 

Greg

You are fortunate, besides having a Chapters nearby, you are also close enough to a Barnes & Noble in Bellingham.  I find that B&N in Bellingham is very well stocked for car books whenever I visit.

 

Craig

[60FlatTop]

Newest on top seems to work here.

[1912Staver]

I find Chapters prices very high. And B & N once the exchange is factored in not a lot better. I have a feeling the border is going to be closed for the foreseeable future in any event. There were two booksellers ; one in the U.K. and one here in the Lower Mainland area who 

specialized in liquidating bookseller returns that had very good prices.  I bought many books from both. Transit times from the U.K. based store was quite slow but their prices were extremely low , and a huge selection of titles.  Both are unfortunately now now longer trading.

I bought at least 75 , higher end books from the U.K. store over the years. Usually for 40 cents on the dollar or less.

Abe book and Ebay are still going of course , however ebay is effectively cut off from me by the border closure as well. I am not going to buy a book for say $20.00 and then pay another $29.00 postage on top, unfortunately no  " media mail " service to Canada.

 

Greg

Edited August 6, 2020 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[padgett]

Mostly I just know where everything is, been collecting books (mostly technical hardbacks and fiction paperbacks) longer than cars so some go back to the 'oughts (19 not 20). Do have a '58 revision of Sir Harry's book plus Obert and some internal GM documents. Have almost a shelf ready if external combustion comes back. And then things like "The Modern Sports Car" McCahill, "The Sports Car" Campbell, "The Fast Ones" Miller, "The Complete Official Jaguar "E"", and of course "Ordovician Trilobites of Argentina" (visitors eye always stop when they hit that one).

[1912Staver]

2 hours ago, padgett said:

Mostly I just know where everything is, been collecting books (mostly technical hardbacks and fiction paperbacks) longer than cars so some go back to the 'oughts (19 not 20). Do have a '58 revision of Sir Harry's book plus Obert and some internal GM documents. Have almost a shelf ready if external combustion comes back. And then things like "The Modern Sports Car" McCahill, "The Sports Car" Campbell, "The Fast Ones" Miller, "The Complete Official Jaguar "E"", and of course "Ordovician Trilobites of Argentina" (visitors eye always stop when they hit that one).

 

Do you have the revised and expanded second edition of OToA ? It's a big improvement on the oriogional volume, in itself a clasic.

 

Greg

Edited August 6, 2020 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[padgett]

Mine is the 1957 edition from the U of K, $1 in a K-Mart shopping cart.

[1912Staver]

Sounds like a good investment.

 

Greg

[padgett]

Just reread the first chapter of Stroker Ace. All you need to know about race drivers in the 60s.

Book is fiction but know that many of the stories were true. If I write an autobiography would need to be fiction also.

[Jim Bollman]

I don't have a very good method for shelving my books other than in groups by interest with some misc areas.

 

I do tend to make database of info I want to have at my fingertips. After losing all my data files when the company went out of business and the old software was not supported on new system I only use software that uses plain text or supports a standard that more than one company uses. Using spreadsheets to keep data is safe, nearly all spreadsheet programs will put out in a cross package cross computer format, just stay away from lots of fancy equations to modify the data. As far as DataBase software you will have to look for your platform for one that uses mostly plain text for storing the information so you can retrieve it and cut and paste into a new package, if they stop supporting their software.

[padgett]

"old software was not supported " - do you have a copy ? 9 track tape or 8 inch floppy maybe ? Even on cassette tape ? I can handle an incredible number of obsolete formats, even excess 2s DEC.. Manchester is a little harder.

[Big Beat]

I have over 2000 books, including maybe 300+ auto-related. I buy books all the time, but I am very selective about what I keep after reading. Most get sold or donated when I'm done. This is crucial. If you try to hold on to everything, you will end up with an unmanageable mess. I cull through the collection every few years to make space for new acquisitions. On the shelves, books are arranged by subject. All the car books are next to each other on the same shelves, though not otherwise arranged like in some library. I'm not that OCD. The point is to be able to scan the shelves and find what you need fairly quickly, not look for a history book among fiction or hunt throughout the house.

 

Whenever I get a new book that's a keeper, I add it to my database. The database is a simple MS Word document. Just a basic list separated by subject (Fiction, Biography, Automobiles, etc.) and alphabetized by authors last name. Name, title and year if relevant. Here's a random sample of the Auto section:

 

Gray, Ralph D. – Alloys And Automobiles: The Life Of Elwood Haynes

Gunnell, John A. – A Collector's Guide To Automobilia

Hemmings Motor News Illustrated Collector Car Encyclopedia (2011)

Hobbs, George W. – The Gasoline Automobile (1920) 

Iacocca, Lee – An Autobiography

Janicki, Edward – Cars Detroit Never Built: 50 Years Of American Experimental Cars (1990)

 

Etc. 

 

Easy reference. I also keep it on my phone, so that I do not buy the same book twice at book shops and flea markets. Before cell phones, I used to keep a printout in my car. Again, just the minimum necessary to stay organized and prevent entropy from taking over.

Edited August 14, 2020 by Big Beat (see edit history)

[John Bloom]

Big Beat, this is helpful.  I like the idea of just keeping a Word Document for ease of use and "hopeful" support going forward.  Your advice about being selective about what I keep is wise.  I need to work on that.  Lots of books coming in my front door and few going out.  I think organizing based on subject is how I will go.  

[Jim Bollman]

A friend some years ago got the job of cleaning out an uncle's library when he died. I don't remember the uncle's specialty but it was some field that most of the books had nearly no value to others including as a free donation. They ended up using them to heat their family room for a Winter or two. But the interesting part of the story was as they started cleaning out the main library they discovered that the uncle would fill the wall of shelves and build new shelves in front of them. I don't remember how many layers the thickest wall was but the room got significantly bigger.