Source: Gilmour, C. 2026. "Hoard habit to break: Confessions of bibliomaniac". The Sun Herald, February 22: 37.
I read this article a few weeks ago, and like Cherie (and many others), I like to buy books because I want to read them, but sometimes time catches up with us. The late Clive James (1939-2019), I remember, admitted in a newspaper feature years ago that he had many books he had bought but never had time to read. It has been the same with me. Quite often, I am distracted by the offerings of local libraries and even the school library (whether I want to read it for enjoyment or for my work).
Some suggest that there are people who "hoard" books and that it's a bad thing, especially if the books remain unread. Studies have shown that households that have their own libraries can foster reading and literacy skills in children. Just having books around may tempt a person to read. I'll admit, one reason I enjoyed reading as a child was shaped by the presence of books in my house, particularly the bookshelf in one of our corridors at home or even books in the homes of family members. It was my way of passing the time, especially since I was not a social kid and could get bored easily.
School Libraries can sometimes be seen as hoarding books, though there are mechanisms in place, such as weeding, that allow for a well-maintained, utilised and current collection. Sometimes schools that have engaged in significant weeding of a collection can still be labelled hoarders, but the question has to be asked: why? Space on shelves has been freed up, sometimes shelves even removed, and more space is available for other uses, but a fail grade is still issued.
Reflecting on Cherie's quote:
Unread books represent the electric promise of knowledge or stories yet to be known
There are unread books in our libraries. Some may have been popular a few years ago and well borrowed, but have lost their appeal, while some books simply never are borrowed at all. What could we do to promote them?
- A book display "If you enjoyed reading xxx, you will enjoy this one."
- In a thematic book display, promote the well-read, but add a few of the unread ones or ones that have been unread for some time
- Non-fiction - promote their usage more actively if you do not already do so
- Include them on a reading list as recommended reads. Students do love to read books that have been recommended to them.
