New
New pages
This feed lists the guide's pages about the home library by date. Each entry has a short summary, a note on why it is worth reading and a section tag: shelves, care, reading or cataloguing. New pages appear at the top of the list, and pages that have been substantially revised get a new date so that you don't miss the changes.
We take our time: a page only goes into the feed once it can be read from start to finish and put to use straight away at your own bookshelf.
Questions and answers
Twelve short answers on storage, order, cataloguing and reading.
Why read it: Quickly clears up the most common doubts of bookshelf owners.
Guide sections
A map of topics: shelves and order, book care, family reading, swapping and cataloguing.
Why read it: Helps you find the right section for your needs straight away.
Collections
Three reading paths: your first home shelf, books and children, old books.
Why read it: Lets you work through a topic in order instead of hunting for scattered tips.
How to protect books from damp, light and dust (in Russian)
A book's main enemies, old paper, and when you need a specialist.
Why read it: Extends the life of your home library at little cost.
Reference
Thirteen terms covering the parts of a book, cataloguing and storage.
Why read it: Explains the words that come up in advice on care and repair.
A home book catalogue (in Russian)
Why keep a record of your books and how to start a catalogue in a notebook or spreadsheet.
Why read it: Helps you avoid losing books or buying them twice.
How to help a child love reading without pressure
Preparation, eight steps with examples, common mistakes, alternatives and a final checklist.
Why read it: Helps make reading a pleasure rather than a chore.
Where to give away books you no longer need (in Russian)
Where to rehome spare books and what to check before you hand them over.
Why read it: Shows how to free up space in a way that benefits other readers.
How to arrange books at home (in Russian)
Ways of arranging books and a plan for sorting a shelf over a weekend.
Why read it: Helps you find the book you want quickly.
Related pages
- Collections
Reading paths: your first home shelf, books and children, old books.
- Archive
All pages by date and tag, plus a note on the domain's old addresses.
- Guides
How to encourage a child to read without pressure: preparation, steps with illustrative examples, mistakes and a checklist. Also the article catalogue.
- Sections
Four sections: shelves and order, book care, family reading, swapping and cataloguing.
What we drew on
- Belanews guide pages
This advice is general and meant for an ordinary home library. If a book is especially valuable, very old or already damaged, it is better to show it to a conservator or bookbinder than to attempt a repair yourself.