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There is no denying that electronic books have their own benefits. But even today, with so many devices and formats for electronic books on the market, many of us still prefer to hold a real volume in our hands. When asked about it, people usually give various reasons as to why they like reading paper books. Whatever those reasons might be, the fact remains that people still buy books. And what do books need? That’s right, a good bookcase.
Actually, a bookshelf will also do. Depending on your living situation, you might not have enough space to fit a big decorative bookcase in your apartment to put your entire book collection on display, but at the end of the day, it’s the creativity that counts. You don’t necessarily need to have a big bookshelf to make it original or style it in a unique way.
If you need some inspiration to help you organize your own book collection, we have gathered photos from all over the internet to show you what other people do when it comes to creative shelves and book displays. Some of them own old books that have been handed down from generation to generation, while others prefer brand-new, just-off-the-shelf books – but what unites them is their love for book reading and a well-organized library, however big or small.
Do you like these styles? Upvote your favorite ones. And we are really curious to know how you organize your books. Show us your shelves and bookcases in the comments!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Needs Some Rearranging But This Fills Me With Happiness!
Ivan Petrov 2 years ago
Maybe move the plants somewhere else, and put some pillows to sit on - great reading place.
Michael Smith 2 years ago
The view outside the window really makes this work so beautifully. The highway outside my house wouldn't be the same.
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#2
My Parents Built Two Story Library Inspired By Sir Walter Scott’s When Building Their House
#3
A Relative Of Mine Has A House With Bookshelves Everywhere And I Just Had To Share
And i was like WTF!! 2 years ago
Love everything about that room - especially the amount of books :D
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#4
Husband Officially Finished Building These Beautiful Bookshelves
#5
My Cozy Place
trollingergirl 2 years ago (edited)
the chairs are called "Togo" from ligne roset, if I am not mistaken. Still on the market. Classic!
#6
My Grandmothers Reading Space
#7
The Shadow Of My Bookshelf Looks Like A City Skyline
#8
A Few Of My Books
#9
Really Happy With My Antique Fantasy Bookshelf!
Ivan Petrov 2 years ago
It asks a riddle, before letting you take a book 😆
Load More Replies... #10
United States Bookshelf I Built
Ivan Petrov 2 years ago
Another proof that America hates books - it makes for a horrible book shelf (only half-joking). But impracticability aside, it looks impressive. Maybe add a souvenir from each state. Also, where are Hawaii and Alaska?
I'm positivly a wolf 2 years ago
My brain is having a hard time figuring out how large this is
#11
My Best Friend’s Living Room. This Isn’t Even Half Of The Books They Own
#12
Before And After Of Our Basement Nook I Turned Into A Library
Ivan Petrov 2 years ago
Why does the empty room looks smaller, than the one with extra shelves and books 😆
#13
I Finally Made My Mini Library In My Flat, It’s Only Taken Me A Year!
I have two other bookcases that are full of my vintage fantasy books (like David Gemmell and David Eddings). I’m so happy how it’s turned out!
Lori Rogers 2 years ago
I love David Eddings. He lived about 30 miles from me. We had something stupidly in common- we both have shot ourselves in the foot with a crossbow bolt, lol
#14
Our Beautiful Library
Judith Remkes 2 years ago
The window on the left seems to have sitting space - perfect!
Load More Replies... #15
She Is Complete!
Amanda Young 2 years ago
Wow. I can't believe that my little library got snagged and posted here!! This is only the cozy corner; there's 2 more shelves to the right in a second picture. I posted this on my reddit, but Books.with.amanda321 on IG
#16
A Much Better Use Of Space Than A Master Bedroom
DennyS (denzoren) 2 years ago
Very sophisticated space...makes me think of cigars and bourbon.
#17
Someone Asked For More Of Library After I Posted A Corner Of It
#18
The Best Part About Visiting My Mother Is Getting To Bask In Her Temple Of Readerly Virtue
DennyS (denzoren) 2 years ago
I know it's not exactly gothic...but it feels like it...really cool.
#19
My Rainbow Bookshelf
Candy Rabbit 2 years ago
I have that same Mold-a-rama Stegosaurus! My long distance boyfriend got one for me when we went on our first date to the Field museum in Chicago.
#20
A Dining Room Is A Good Place For A Library - Had Custom Built-Ins Made For Our 1906 Home
Monica Michelle 2 years ago
I just inherited my dad's book shelves our dining room is now full dark academia
Spannidandoolar 2 years ago
The amount I want a rolly ladder has increased year on year ever since I first saw Bedknobs and Broomsticks
#21
Just Installed The Home Library I’ve Dreamed Of Since I Was A Little Girl
#22
My Little Library
#23
Finally Built A Library For (Some Of) Our Books
#24
Favorite Part Of My Flat
#25
I Purchased A Beautiful Mid Century House In July. My Dad And I Built This 13'x13' Book Case Last Month
I plan on building a rolling ladder for it to help me move some things up, and make them more accessible. I'm absolutely in love with how it turned out!
#26
My Personal Library Over The Last Few Years
Mostly housed in custom built cedar bookcases, but also on the floor, stuffed in fireplaces, stacked on mantles, because I refuse to believe there’s such thing as too many books.
Jacki moore 2 years ago
This is probably in an old building where the fireplace aren't in use anymore.
Load More Replies... Mark Serbian, PK&RG,W 2 years ago
Some of us in California look at the bookshelves over the bed and shudder about what happens in an earthquake...
Lori Rogers 2 years ago
I feel the same. I hate to see decent/good books in trash or treated as such. My love and respect for books has passed on to my children and grandchildren.
#27
My Reading Nook!
#28
Moved Into A New House And Wasn’t Sure What To Do With This Space - Absolutely In Love With It Now (Think My Cat Likes It Too)
#29
I Moved Into My First Apartment And Told My Dad I Wanted A Nice Bookshelf. He Made Me This From Scratch
#30
All I Want For Christmas Is Books. My Shelfs From A Different Side. I Really Need More Space
#31
We Are Listing Our House For Sale This Week. I Am Really Going To Miss These Shelves
Jacki moore 2 years ago (edited)
I would too but I would make sure the next house has more shelves lol
#32
Built This Bookshelf Myself For Our Oddly Shaped Bedroom. It's Our Mini Library! What Do You Think?
#33
My Almost Finished Reading Space!
#34
My Boyfriend Built A Hobbit-Hole Inspired Bookshelf For A Lotr Themed Room. Top Shelf Is Reserved For The Hardback Series
#35
My Husband Always Promised To Build Me A Library For My Beloved Books... He Delivered
#36
Im Gonna Need A Bigger Bookshelf
La Petite Morte 2 years ago
Have you seen the millennium falcon bass guitar?
Load More Replies... #37
A Piano Repurposed As A Bookshelf
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 2 years ago
AUGH… gorgeous baby grand piano gutted… I mean, I love books but this is a bit much…
Lori Rogers 2 years ago
I wanted to do this with an old upright the neighbor was throwing out, but my daughter said we didn't have room. Right after it got hauled off my sil ask why I didn't get it, when I told him he gave my daughter a stern look and said we could of made my a "me corner in garage. I pouted everytime she looked at me for a week. She felt bad and is now keeping an eye out for another one
MCathenaE 2 years ago
I did the same thing with a dollhouse. No need for one, just really wanted one. Passed on one & kicked myself in the butt for a year until I came across another. Snagged it up so fast & now I have a project!
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B.Nelson 2 years ago
The hammers, action, and keyboard are intact but no strings, so no. They probably found just the body of a baby grand and didn't have the money to refurbish it.
Load More Replies... #38
My Dad Made Me These Bookshelves For My Many Plants And Books
#39
I Just Moved My 1,980 Books To A New House. Up And Down Two Flights Of Stairs. Fun Times Haha
#40
When I Was A Kid I Swore I’d Have My Own Library When I Owned A House. Today I Built This
#41
My 94year Old Grandpa's Shelf (With Books Up To 200 Years Old)
#42
I Had Nowhere To Go But Up. Repurposed Some IKEA Kallax’s
#43
My Wall Of Gold
#44
Finally Got My Dream Shelves!
#45
My Husband Built Me Custom Shelves!
#46
A Much Better Quality Picture Of My Father’s Library
#48
My Boyfriend's Bookshelf! :)
#49
Had Wood Worms And Needed To Throw Out Some Parts. Now It Is Quite Chaotic, But I Like It Somehow
#51
My Favorite Part About My New Apartment!
Lucy Shadow 2 years ago
Whilst color-coding looks great aesthetically, I'm against it for me because it doesn't make the books easy to find unless you remember the color of each book cover, which I honestly can't do.
BookDragon 2 years ago
I have so many series that are different colours on the covers too, would you have to spilt them up? Because that feels like murder if you had to do that.
Load More Replies... #52
My Library. Well, Part Of It
#53
My Father’s Bookshelf
#54
Got A New Reading Chair. Gonna Go Full Dad, Starting Tonight
#55
My Favorite Area Of The House
#56
My Husband Built Me My Own Little Library Nook For My Christmas Present ️️
#57
Excited That I’m Finally Able To Have My Own Library
#58
My Family's Library
#59
Favorite Place In The House! Always Dreamed Of One Day Having A Little Library
#60
Turned The Dining Room Into A Library
#61
Spent The Weekend Building My New Shelves And Reorganizing My Collection. How Did I Do?
#62
Built-In Bookcase That I Recently Finished
#63
Too Poor To Afford Real Bookshelves, So I Use Milk Crates
Lori Rogers 2 years ago
I did the same and it great if you have to move, no need to pack them. Just lift and go
#65
Finally Got My Dream Bookcase, And The Reason We Bought This House
#66
Our Bookshelf Took On A Life Of Its Own
#67
I Always Wanted A Home Library. Designed This And Finally Had It Built
#68
My In-Builts. A Major Reason I Bought My House
#69
Several Years Of Collecting And Now We Have Our Own Personal Library Room!
#70
Here's The Bookcase In My New Home
#71
Finally Rainbowed The Romance Shelves
Kookamunga 2 years ago
It's so pretty, but why are all the books uniform? What book series is this?
Erin Albright 2 years ago
Romance novels are all paprrback so the same size. Likely harlequins.
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#73
After Buying Our First House, I Finally Got The Reading Nook I Always Wanted
#75
A Few Pipes, A Few Boards, And A Whole Lot Of Fantasy
#76
Finished My Reading Nook!
#77
Long Time Goal: Have My Own Library When I Own A Home. Mission Accomplished!
#78
My Synesthesia Means That I Remember Books Better By Their Color Than By Title Or Author
Shawnna Clement 2 years ago
That isn't Synesthesia. It's visual memory. Synesthesia is crossing of the senses. For example, I can see or hear things I touch. Yes, it's very annoying, but it doesn't with everything I touch just everytime I touch certain things I will get the same visual/ sound.
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
Not at all! As long as you get OP's permission first. https://www.reddit.com/r/bookshelf/comments/bl1s87/my_synesthesia_means_that_i_remember_books_better/ (Original post link)
Load More Replies... Rebecca Phillips-Partridge 2 years ago
I love this rainbow arrangement..... It's so Tetris and patchwork.... The vertical and horizontal make my soul sing
#80
The History Section Of My Dad's Library
Lori Rogers 2 years ago
WICKED AWESOMENESS! Can I come visit like for a couple weeks/months? I'll be quiet you won't even notice me there
#81
I Had To Be Creative With My Tiny Space
#85
Found These Bookcases On The Side Of The Road With A “Free” Sign On Them
#87
I’m Moving And Have To Give Up My Built-In Bookshelves, And I’m Questioning The Meaning Of Life
#88
Great Grandfather’s Book Collection (Contains Books Dating Back To 1894 And Contains Several Handwritten Books)
Rebecca Phillips-Partridge 2 years ago
There have got to be an insane amount of gems in that collection of tomes ..... I would love to explore that
#90
About To Start Packing For A Move. Pray For Me
LK 2 years ago
When packing books for a move, use small boxes. Large boxes are too heavy to move around.
Pheline 2 years ago
Standard moving company book boxes work great. Label well on multiple sides. If you label only the top who knows what’s in any box when they’re stacked. Don’t hire idiots who don’t fill boxes completely, who stack them and destroy them. I wouldn’t suggest milk cartons because they’re heavy, expensive, not easy to stack, leave everything exposed to the elements. I can’t imagine movers will be happy with them- we’ve hired a professional loader who flings things around on his back to carry them. If you hire inexperienced people make sure books and other heavier things are loaded first- at the front of trucks & trailers. We had morons do crisscross folds and barely tape the bottom of boxes- don’t. Sturdy, well packed boxes need less tape than most people seem to think.
Lori Rogers 2 years ago
Milk crates are great for packing/moving books. They're sturdy and have handles. Wish you the best of luck and happiness in your new place
#91
Finally Got Most Of My Books Onto My Shelves
#99
I Always Wanted A Huge Bookshelf That You Need A Ladder For. This Year During Lockdown I Built One Myself
#101
My 2,700 Book-Shelf, With About 30% Read By Now
Tucker Cahooter 2 years ago
Interesting how many of these photos also show a globe of the world on or near the bookcase. I wonder how many globe owners don't have a huge bookcase as well (I suspect very few)
Lori Rogers 2 years ago
That would be my kindle library if it was physical. I still love an actual book too
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What do you think ?
Kleopatra Antonopoulou 2 years ago
Recently I lost my mother and we had together almost 5000 books. The oldest from 1804.Ok so most of them were hers bought and inherited. Just one month before she passed away we had bought enough bookcases to fill the living room wall to store half of our collection. She was ecstatic that after 70 years she almost had the perfect setting for her books. So if you want something like your dream library room go for it and enjoy it. Life is sort but nothing can parallel the joy a bunch of books lined and ready to be read aside from human relationships.
Shawnna Clement 2 years ago
I don't have the space for most of these examples, but they are gorgeous! I buy hardcover of anything I know I'll read several times and I try to buy vintage copies of classics that I'll keep. Other than that, I donate to public libraries and social programs. I always hope to spark the love of reading. God knows I'm not suddenly going to spark it in my husband after 20 years. Lol.
Kleopatra Antonopoulou 2 years ago
Recently I lost my mother and we had together almost 5000 books. The oldest from 1804.Ok so most of them were hers bought and inherited. Just one month before she passed away we had bought enough bookcases to fill the living room wall to store half of our collection. She was ecstatic that after 70 years she almost had the perfect setting for her books. So if you want something like your dream library room go for it and enjoy it. Life is sort but nothing can parallel the joy a bunch of books lined and ready to be read aside from human relationships.
Shawnna Clement 2 years ago
I don't have the space for most of these examples, but they are gorgeous! I buy hardcover of anything I know I'll read several times and I try to buy vintage copies of classics that I'll keep. Other than that, I donate to public libraries and social programs. I always hope to spark the love of reading. God knows I'm not suddenly going to spark it in my husband after 20 years. Lol.
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