My perspectives on this have changed quite a good deal since my initial post/s, and im sorry if I seemed like a jackass to anyone, I wasn't attempting to be, and likely didnt realize that's how it came off as, so I apologize.
In quite the shift of opinions since that post (reading my old posts honestly seems like such a trip as my views on things have changed so radically that they make me question my state of mind when I wrote them and honestly sound like another person versus who I am today), I have sold all but roughly 200~ print books from my prior storage unit library (at it's peak was 11,201 books exactly).
I moved towards an e-reader for what is essentially exactly the same sentiments shared in this thread. I actually scanned all the books of mine that didn't have any already digital copies, and this has helped my peace of mind tremendously. I have been in the process of offloading books on eBay, and while I wish they would sell faster, it has become a hobby of mine that makes me smile and fills me with a sense of purpose (to provide people with books they are looking for)! Several handicaps have rendered me home-bound for the most part, but my e-reader helps me greatly as I no longer feel that overwhelming sense of urgency.
Truth be told, the current administration (going to do my best to not drag politics into this thread) makes me leery about owning print books, since many of my books (or at least ones I once owned in print) are environmental/anti-authoritarian (make of that what you will), and I feel like having print copies might condemn me if the gestapo comes around. I know this is a bit out of pocket as far as reasons are concerned, but book burning is a very real thing and I fear it will ramp up in the coming years, and I would rather just be safe than sorry.
I still really like the idea of a bike trailer, but not for a library anymore. On top of that, I have felt the seas calling to me as an alternative lifestyle, and as im sure most who live that way can attest to, paper + water tends to not be the best combination. Granted, electronics too, though it is far easier to keep safe a small amount of items versus a large collection.
Bryan, I chose this name cuz I thought it would be funny, pretty much for the reasons you think it is. Once I found out Bob Dole (who I had heard the name of before but couldn't remember where until after I made the account) was a politician, I decided to capitalize on that fact by setting my location as DC. I am glad you caught that, makes it well worth the chuckle.
rough draft, that is something I have thought of as well, and with both that and the free little libraries, I feel like I will be more than golden. Who knows, maybe I will pick up the hobby of scanning unknown local history books from places I pass through (should be condition resolve itself).
Rune, many of my books are/were niche and esoteric as well, it's something I enjoyed about my print library. Granted, I now have 600GB of the "wizard" archive, which is a billion worlds more in-depth than I ever had in print. Still, many of the reasons I clung to my print books so hard was because even though many told me that "oh well the library would have that if you wanted to read it", oftentimes they didn't and wouldn't. That's such a huge reason I clung to them, but after scanning the ones without digital copies available, I feel much better about my future, both as a reader, and a traveler.
Side note, but does anyone else have a hard time leaving anything with friends or family, even if they offer to house the stuff for you? My family has repeatedly offered to store my books for me while I am traveling/on the road, but I just don't feel like that's the right thing to do, or even something I would want. Almost like a "all or nothing" situation. Just me?
Thnx for reading my ramble, and I hope I cleared some things up, especially seeing as how my initial post is nearing 5 years old come September. How we change in that time...
