What’s the best way to organize your collection into a usable, eye-catching library ?“This really depends on the person. There is no ‘right’ way to organize books,”- Book Lover

By color. Color is what drew me into my college friend’s library. She placed all of her hardback books together, stripped them of their covers and arranged them by color. It looks clean and elegant and feels timeless. Some take this to the next level and create intentional rainbows on their shelves, from top to bottom.

By topic. Many people organize their fiction by author, but nonfiction by subject matter or category. Then they arrange those by height to make them look good on the shelf. A travel section serves as a happy reminder of where you’ve been and where you want to go.

By author. Alphabetically is a familiar system, as it’s how we would find them in sections of a library or bookstore. Favorite authors get their own shelves, and sometimes full bookcases!

By favorites. Powell’s Books features employees’ favorite books throughout the store. I place my favorites front and center, too. Occasionally, guests have noticed them, which has sparked engaging conversations. 

Outside-the-box ideas. Barnes & Noble’s in-store banned book display makes a statement, and the sometimes-surprising titles provide a certain conversation piece. The Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn, New York, organizes its books alphabetically by the author’s first name, reflecting the archives’ founding during the feminist movement of the 1970s.