My new library shelf

My library shelf
Originally uploaded by daniinnc2010

My husband ABM has been on a DIY kick for the past several weeks. One of his projects was to refurbish our bedside tables. Once mine was finished, I decided to use the bottom shelf for library books. Yes, every book in that shot came from the library. Up until now we were keeping them in a canvas bag or a milk crate. I think this is a better option because it helps me keep track of all the books we have out and let's the kids browse the selection more easily.

What I really wanted you guys to see is how many library books we have out at any one time. There are three books missing from that shot, for a total of 29 books. That may seem like a lot until you know a bit more about our reading habits. My kids will read the graphic novels in an afternoon. The same goes for my husband and me with the how-to books; knitting books, cookbooks, and home renovation books don't take long for us to flip through. As for the novels, the kids will read the ones they like in a couple days and reject the rest. By the end of next week, half the books on the shelf will have been returned to the library and replaced by new selections.

The books that will be on the shelf the longest are novels I checked out for myself. I can flip through the nonfiction books while I'm watching TV, but starting a novel takes more concentration. Once I get past my distractions (screens and kids, mainly) and get about 50 pages in, I can usually breeze through a book. However, I often have trouble jumping from one novel directly into the next so then there is a waiting period. For instance, I finished a steampunk novel last week and it took me five days to clear the mood and style of that world out of my head enough to be able to read the modern romance I started today. I used to be able to make that switch much more quickly when I was younger as I see my kids do now. Perhaps it is an age thing. I'm fighting the senile dementia, one book at a time!