How did you organize your library prior to Logos days?

I have found myself being quite nostalgic lately. I have been using logos for over two decades but it wasn't until this year that I decided to get serious about reducing my paper collection of books. Earlier this year I gave away around 2,000 volumes to various people and organizations. This weekend I've been going through the files that I have collected over the past 4 decades with the goal of only keeping what is absolutely the best. I may scan some and make them into PB at some point.

Going through the process has reminded me of how I used to organize my library. I used the New Baker's Textual and Topical Filing System. It is still even available for purchase on Amazon - http://www.amazon.ca/Bakers-Textual-Topical-Filing-System/dp/0801069181 It was an amazing system that would allow me to retrieve almost anything that I had filed in a matter of less than a minute. I loved it an used it for diligently for years.

Those days are now officially gone now, although I remember them with fondness. Logos is so far superior I hardly miss it.

Which brings me to my question...how did you organize your library prior to Logos?

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Ken McGuire

My print library sort of evolved, and so did my organization of it. For "Church Stuff" I went with:

1) Bible - Organized in canonical order. Surveys/intros would go before what they introduced.

2) Theology - Organized by Authors (Alpha)

3) History - Organized by time

4) Current events

5) Journals - Organized by Journal name

And, of course, it is debatable whose writings are Theology and whose are History....

Lee

Hi Bruce

In my case I think my Library was only my three print Bibles, KJV given when i finished High School in South Carolina in 1981, which now the schools in America would not do..

And my copy of NKJV and The Apologetics Study Bible "HCSB"

Until 2010 when I started using Logos, which I don't think one day goes by that I am not using Logos I really enjoy this software. Now my library is up to almost 1,100 books but it is great to be able to take it with me at the office,Teaching in school, or just in the coffee shop.

Mark Barnes

Which brings me to my question...how did you organize your library prior to Logos?

I still use the Dewey Decimal Classification system for non-Logos books.

Matthew C Jones

Which brings me to my question...how did you organize your library prior to Logos?

For years I organized by the Dewey Decimal System. (I worked in the library in College.) Then I broke up my library by which room I would use the books in. We homeschool. Now, I am liquidating my paper book library.

After I abandoned Dewey Decimal system, my organization was similar to Ken's above.

Mark Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617170#Comment_617170

Which brings me to my question...how did you organize your library prior to Logos?

I still use the Dewey Decimal Classification system for non-Logos books.

I started with Dewey and got far enough that I had my shelves mostly arranged nicely. However I never did much with creating a card file. Quit that pretty quickly, so sometimes I spend a bit of time looking for what I know I have somewhere.

I applied the Dewey system to my filing cabinet as well. It is still largely organized that way.

The limitations were the standard ones with Dewey: some books don't neatly fit the system so there were judgment calls and some categories are so broad that I can have feet of shelves with books whose numbers are very close to the same.

Since selling many of my hard copy books (all I have in Logos) and trying to buy almost all my new resources in Logos format, I am blissfully free of trying to be a librarian as well as a pastor, etc., etc.

Alan Macgregor

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617168#Comment_617168

I ended up with something quite similar to Ken:

English Bibles organised by date of translation
Commentaries/Monographs - organised in canonical order. Surveys/intros would go before what they introduced.
Theology - organised alphabetically by author
Church History - organised chronologically
Hymnody - organised by date of publication
Church Law - (Church of Scotland)
Homiletics – organised by date of publication

I recall consciously deciding not to use Dewey Decimal, since I would end up with too many numbers after the decimal point and then require 3-letter suffixes. Most University divinity libraries in Scotland use Library of Congress, except Aberdeen which uses Dewey Decimal. Years later when working on my PhD there and trawling through acres of shelves looking for a suffix I felt vindicated in my choice.

I have reduced in the last 3 years from about 4000 volumes to a mere 350 or so. In the next 3 years prior to my retirement in 2017 (DV) these will be reduced to around 50 – all Bibles, which I can't bear to part with. Oh, and I have about 50 academic books which I shall be keeping in my cottage for research when I retire.

Every blessing

Alan

Everett Headley

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617181#Comment_617181

I've been with Logos my entire adult life, 13 years or so, and found that my print library was three areas: commentaries I thought I needed but rarely used, books donated to me, and college/seminary books. The last category did have subs, based on subjects studying.

David Thomas

While a student at Moody Bible Institute in the 80's I got to work in the campus bookstore. I applied their organizational scheme into my personal library--using categories assigned by Spring Arbor Distributors. Then alphabetizing by author within the categories. Commentaries is the exeption because they are in Canonical order (alphabetized by author when multiple books address one canonical book.).

Here is an example of the first few categories

AP - Apologetics & Social Issues

BI - Bible Introduction

BIBLES - Translations

BIOG - Biographies

CE - Christian Education

CL - Christian Living

COMT - Commentaries

COPS - Counseling & Psychology

EVDI - Evangelism & Discipleship

abondservant

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617310#Comment_617310

I have more paper books than I know what to do with. Not 2000 titles as some have mentioned, but still sizeable for someone that moves 700 miles between semesters.

I have:
Bibles - ordered by whether or not they have study notes, and then alphabetically by version.
Theology - Ordered by series alphabetically. In the event that the titles are the same (IE
      systematic theology byFrame, tillich, grudem & berkhof) I order by last name.
Theological Monographs - titles such as True North - a book about the theology and ethics of
      environmentalism - are listed alphabetically by subject. Note: This includes 4-5 shelves of
      books on missions, evangelism & missiology.
Biblical Languages: Grammars, helps, cheat sheets, notes, workbooks, and so forth.
Other Religions: Primary texts from a variety of religions (though there was some temptation to
      toss them into the fiction section).
Bible Reference: dictionaries, encyclopedias, and so forth.
Commentaries: By series title, each series is ordered canonically. Though I've toyed with
     putting every commentary on genesis on the same shelf, instead of every commentary on
     genesis in a given series, if that makes sense.
Christian Living: counselling, discipleship and so forth.
Pastoral

And there are others, but thats all I can think of at present.

Allen Browne

how did you organize your library prior to Logos?

I used Dewey categories, without nailing each book down to its precise Dewey number. Since I was used to searching libraries in that order, it made sense.

As I'm sure you realize, collections in Logos are so much more flexible, as a "book" can be found in many places at once.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617382#Comment_617382

Thanks everyone. I was expecting that many people would have used (or still use) the Dewey Decimal System but I'm a bit surprised that no one has even commented on The New Baker's Textual and Topical Filing System.

Would anyone else care to weigh in?

Lynden O. Williams

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617670#Comment_617670

Small paper library, so I put them together by category on book shelves.

NB.Mick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617670#Comment_617670

Thanks everyone. I was expecting that many people would have used (or still use) the Dewey Decimal System but I'm a bit surprised that no one has even commented on The New Baker's Textual and Topical Filing System.

Would anyone else care to weigh in?

In the past I had no no filing system at all except thematic shelves/boards. For some years now I now use Collectorz software to have a near-complete and current list of paper books (which is less complete and current than I like). This relies mainly on ISBN to identify a resource - you may use author/title searches and input data for books not in their database - and again I then give a room and bookshelf as location. My bookshelves and their boards are somewhat thematic (one board for Greek stuff, one for Pietism, one for systematic theologies) or author-related (one for Bonhoeffer works [not the DBW volumes], one for John Stott, one for Schlatter) plus commentaries in order of bible books.

What I wanted to do, but not put into real practice, was to create a Dummy PB for every relevant book and put it into the Logos library.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617684#Comment_617684

What I wanted to do, but not put into real practice, was to create a Dummy PB for every relevant book and put it into the Logos library.

How would that work?

NB.Mick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617688#Comment_617688

What I wanted to do, but not put into real practice, was to create a Dummy PB for every relevant book and put it into the Logos library.

How would that work?

I have a word template where I can put in the Author title etc. and can build the PB including subjects. It's possible to include more, such as a very meaningful Amazon review, links to pdf-files etc.

Library searches will then find the respective volume for me and tell me I own this in paper. Collections will include these. If I put in some keywords the book may be found in topical searches - since after all, with a large Logos library I tend to forget about the paper stuff when I'm looking for something.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617690#Comment_617690

That's an interesting idea to consider although it does sound like a lot of work. I just keep hoping that Logos will someday carry the best paper books I own.

NB.Mick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617692#Comment_617692

I just keep hoping that Logos will someday carry the best paper books I own.

Which will mean buying something again (been there, done that - but not always [and got no T-Shirt]. In some cases, it's the only reasonable thing to do - in others, less so. And it may mean a long wait. For German language resources, even more so.

And in light of your nostalgia remarks from the start of the thread - there is a special feeling holding bound works that surpassed a century. Or having a certain text one hunted for on used-book sites.

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617670#Comment_617670

Thanks everyone. I was expecting that many people would have used (or still use) the Dewey Decimal System but I'm a bit surprised that no one has even commented on The New Baker's Textual and Topical Filing System.

Would anyone else care to weigh in?

At one time I looked at the Baker's Textual & Topical system but it seemed to complicated for my library at that time (a lot of categories that I didn't have any resources) so I abandoned it for something that worked for me on a small scale and I was able to grow.

Mike Childs

I used the chaos system, mostly. It fits my personality. What do y'all organized folks do with all that free time that you don't have to use looking for some book that you know you have, and you knew it was on that shelf, but it is not?

I did put Original language tools together, Old Testament and New Testament Commentaries together, Bible Dictionaries together, Wesley's Works and other books about Wesley together, same for Spurgeon's sermons. History and biography went together on the right side - no political statement intended, whatever they say about me. Serious theology was grouped together. Classic Christian books went together, and everything else was organized by author, unless it wasn't.

That is except my huge "War of Northern Aggression" collection. All those biographies of the President, and also Mr. Lincoln, General Lee, Grant, etc., not to mention the works of Shelby Foote, Bruce Catton, and all the rest..

I have gotten rid of some books, but I am not as good a Christian as Bruce, (not Catton) and cannot bring myself to get rid of most of them.

(I have tried four times to get auto correct to take "Bruce Catton's" name. Apparently, it just doesn't believe I read that Yankee's version of the war. I hate auto correct, but am not tech savvy enough to turn it off.)

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617714#Comment_617714

I used the chaos system, mostly.

I think you are probably not alone in this category. [:)]

mab

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617738#Comment_617738

I was using a spreadsheet to keep track of my commentaries. I even began adapting it with a note to digital versus bound book. Once I went to L4, the whole deal became very impractical.

abondservant

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617801#Comment_617801

I like the PB for each title in my physical Library idea, but it sounds like something I should have started before I had this many titles. I have something like 800 books. Probably going to start doing so with text books as I purchase them for school... But the existing titles will have to be done one or two at a time as I use them.

TCBlack

Which brings me to my question...how did you organize your library prior to Logos?

Dedicated shelves. Spiritual warfare or demonology? Right hand shelf second level. Bible Study methods and basic discipleship? Middle shelf third level. Commentary on Leviticus? All commentaries are on the shelves above my desk in Canonical order. etc. etc. etc.

Then there is spillover, you know the books that belong on THAT shelf but don't fit? They are in piles all over the floor of my office. Still. But if I'm looking for that one book on discipleship that doesn't fit - I know where it is. Or at least where I thought I had put it. Or maybe... did I loan that one out? Hey! Who has my Coleman?

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/620270#Comment_620270

They are in piles all over the floor of my office.

[:D]

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/620270#Comment_620270

They are in piles all over the floor of my office.

What happens if someone moves the piles to vacuum? [:)]

TCBlack

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/620346#Comment_620346

They are in piles all over the floor of my office.

What happens if someone moves the piles to vacuum?

She has learned not to do that. [;)] There was this one time I went away for a week and came home to a clean office.... [:O]

Wesley Holden

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/617670#Comment_617670

I started using the Bakers Topical and Textual Filing System when I was in college and, like you, used it extensively for many years. I still refer back to the topical portion of it at times to reference old periodical articles, illustrations etc. that I stashed away. It was very functional and adequate for quite a few years. Logos sure saves hours and hours of time.

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/620544#Comment_620544

There was this one time I went away for a week and came home to a clean office....

In 2012 I was in a coma for 4 days. When I got home from the hospital I discovered my son had cleaned my office and donated a bunch of software to Goodwill. I lost 32 E4 discs and all my AGES software. I'm glad my Logos is held on the servers or that would be gone too.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/621294#Comment_621294

When I got home from the hospital I discovered my son had cleaned my office and donated a bunch of software to Goodwill. I lost 32 E4 discs and all my AGES software

How much did your wife have to pay him to do the cleaning? (Just thinking with amusement of my folks moves and "Dad's office" ... okay they were both in their nineties but ...)[:D]

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/621288#Comment_621288

I started using the Bakers Topical and Textual Filing System when I was in college and, like you, used it extensively for many years. I still refer back to the topical portion of it at times to reference old periodical articles, illustrations etc. that I stashed away. It was very functional and adequate for quite a few years. Logos sure saves hours and hours of time.

Welcome to the forums Wesley. I knew there must have been others like me. [:)] For years I meticulously cut out magazine articles and filed them away. I did keep some that were superb but most of them I threw away. I am on a mission to reduce the paper in my life.

DominicM

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/621335#Comment_621335

I sorted by Author then by title, I lost most of my hard-copy library a few years back, so maybe have a dozen or so books I cannot get in Logos currently.

Mark

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/621343#Comment_621343

I use the favorites to sort my library but it is not very easy to do in the current system. I long for bookmarks similar to what you would find in Firefox that would be easy to use. I also long for a way to find out what resources are not yet filed into bookmark. A system where you can easily swipe a resource into a folder would be wonderful. As I have mentioned, the current system of favorites is not very efficient. When you create a new folder, it appears at the bottom of the favorites list and then you have to move it into place. It is not as simple as you would find in a browser program.

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