Why I Check Out Too Many Books From the Library

I often go to the library and check out more books than I could possibly read in the allotted time. In fact, I usually have no plans to read any of them through because I am already working through some of my own. My wife is always relieved when I finally return them. I don't know why, though, because I always return home with a new batch. But there is method to my madness.

Worthwhile books are being published constantly, at much faster paces than any schedule or book budget can swallow. Many of these books only support casual interests -- if I'm honest, very few of these will ever be picked up by me again. However, I can imagine a significant number being vitally relevant to life and ministry.

Even these, though, are necessarily passed over for books pertaining to present concerns. My reading list is mostly driven by what's going on now or in the near future (e.g., I'm having a baby boy in April). I wish it were not so, but I'm young and immature: most of what I face is brand new and I need lots of help. The "Best Books of 2008" are going to have to wait.

So, here's my dilemma: New books, many which come highly recommended, "must-reads" even, are published at a time I cannot or should not read them. They may be relevant in the future, but they also may be always irrelevant. How can I remember the title, author and general content of these books in the event that they become pertinent?

One way for me to remember is to become better acquainted with these books. If I have a little spare time on campus with no current reading project at hand, I usually head over to the New Titles sections of the bookstore or the library. I usually spot things first at the bookstore and give cursory looks at the contributors, publisher's description, list of blurbs, and table of contents. This gives the book a little traction. It gains more of a foothold with each pass, either in person or in blog posts, news articles or podcasts.

Then, I'll often spot the book again in the library. (The lead time can be a couple months.) If my recollection of my first once-over is good, I'll pick it up again with other books of interest. If it looks promising, I check it out and take it home. Once it's home, I can look more closely at the table of contents, read the preface and introduction or conclusion. Even seeing it repeatedly in my home is going to give it some permanence. (For help in systematically "skimming" a book, check out Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book, specifically chapter 4.)

All this legwork helps create a category in my mind for a particular type of resource. It's like going out on a date with the book -- it didn't develop into anything serious but by now I should at least know her name! Even if I can't remember the title and author, I know there's a book out there which fits my need. I just need to find it. Really, I'm surprised at how often I remember books when I need them. When topics need to be researched, I'm usually off to a good start before I even get to the library.

If you love books but, for whatever reason, you aren't a voracious reader, I commend this practice to you. It's one of my all-time favorite things to do. You get to take home brand new books and act like they're yours. It'll help any frustrations with your lack of reading time. You get to read more widely than you could otherwise justify. As you're exposed to more and more books, you're able to better distinguish between the good and the bad. Hopefully, you grow more reserved in your use of "must-read" (warning: personal pet-peeve). You'll be a storehouse of bibliographic knowledge for others in need of good reading. You yourself will never be without a good book.

Go on. Give it a try.

[Stay tuned. In a few days, I'll talk about how I backup my memory.]