Alphabetical by Title or Author

• Readers who need to get their hands on a particular title quickly benefit from having an alphabetical system in place. Traditionally, booksellers use an alpha by author system so that when customers come in and ask for a book by a particular author, the bookseller can direct the customer to the right space on the shelf, among other reasons. The system helps a reader trying to collect every title by an author. Alphabetical by title works for readers who don't remember authors' names as readily as they do the titles of their favorite books. However, using this system requires making decisions about shelving all the titles that begin with the word "The," for instance, together, or shelving the books by the second word in the title.
  
  

Collectible Books

• Rare and uncommon books need special treatment, so your organization style should place that consideration at the forefront. They need to be protected from dust, direct sunlight, humidity, mold, mildew and insects, so purchase a sturdy bookcase with doors that close tightly. Collectible books should be stored flat, rather than in rows as books are typically shelved, with the largest on the bottom. Create a master list that indicates where each book is to avoid having to handle them unnecessarily while you're searching for a particular title.
  
  

By Size

• Books come in sizes ranging from elephant folios to miniatures that fit on a fingertip. Shelving by size makes dealing with very large books easier, but, as with collectibles, finding a particular title is more difficult. This method also addresses the problem of adjusting bookcase shelves to fit a large book next to a small book if you're shelving by another method.
  
  

By Subject

• Shelving by subject is a good method to use if you frequently reference books on a particular topic. Keeping all of the books on molecular biology in one place, for instance, rather than scattered throughout your collection by author, makes putting your hand on a book you're using for a research project or when you're writing a paper easier.
  
  

Books as Decor

• Not uncommonly, a law office or an interior decorator will call up a rare bookstore and ask for "five feet of leather" or "four feet of red." The books they purchase serve a decorative purpose. A lawyer may want to create the impression she's read all of the weighty leather bound tomes on her shelves. A decorator might wish to please a client who is only interested in color schemes, not content. This method works when your shelving system is decorative, rather than content oriented.
  
  

Catalog Numbers

• Creating a database of your book collection, no matter which organizational method you use, is a worthwhile endeavor for several reasons. If you use a system that assigns numbers, or if you assign them yourself as you do the data entry, you can shelve the books by number. If you leave a note in the entry that gives the exact location, you can put your hand on the book quickly. A database makes your life easier if you intend to sell your collection one day or if you need to insure it. Instead of having a dealer come to your house, or lugging your books to a store, you can deliver the list to a dealer, who can then give you a value in a matter of hours. An insurer will look at the dealer's appraisal if you don't sell, and add the value to your policy.