How to add books to your personal library

After we have discussed how to accommodate a personal library at home and what are the advantages of a personal library, we shall take the series forward by discussing how you could go about enriching your collection of books.



Checking up what parents have
A wholesome library is put together after years of reading and appreciating books. And when you are just starting out, along with buying collectables, you could also check what you or your family already have. Parents generally have a decent collection of classics (hardbound) which obviously enriches your library. For instance, books like Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Animal Farm by George Orwell, Gullliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, Naked Lunch by William Burroughs and Lord of the Flies by William Golding are absolute must haves.



Attending promotional book events
Many-a-times you can get superbly lucky by attending a promotional book event and get a good autographed book for free. Leading bookstores across the country conduct book readings, book release and book launches to promote books and introduce new authors to book lovers. So being seen at such events, participating in book related contests could also add to your personal collection. 



A trip to a scrap dealer
Now this is a case of sheer luck. You could always try the local scrap dealer and there is every chance that you could chance upon some great reads that have not been considered worthy by others. Says Mrinmayi Joshi, a resident of Pune, “I made a trip to the scrap dealer and got really lucky. I got classics like Sense and Sensibility (link) by Jane Austen (link), Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and Malgudi Daysby RK Narayan that too hard bound copies at just Rs 50 each. I was delighted and have now added these books to my home collection.”



Looking for online discounts
Many websites offer books at heavy discounts. You can buy first-hand books at 30 per cent discount that too with the option of cash on delivery. All you have to do is log in to any website of repute and order the book you have been wanting to add to your library. Most websites ship bestsellers in less than a week.



Adding books to your personal library is as easy as this. All you have to ensure that you read each of these pieces and just don’t let books gather dust.



Any other ways to add books to your personal collection? Well, we are all ears!