Alphabetizing 5000 books

will keep your mind off just about anything.

just saying...

:9

RL

I use to work for Wm. B. Meyer, a book moving company...our biggest job was moving the Sacramento Capital Library...over 7 million books...it was, a project.

:wow:

RL

7 million books...from begining of march til the end of june...we hired out through temp agencies...we had two 25plus man crews...one working out in Natomas, and one at the capital library...

It was a job, biggest we did...we also did a few universities too, UK library, KU...University of Colorado, Colorado Springs...and University of California Riverside....

What's the big deal? :crazy:

:hi:

:crazy:

RL

That means you have 5000 books.


By author? Title? First word on page 37?

but only 5000 are out of the boxes...

By author...

RL

That made it easier to catalog my books.

Can then download in excel format if I want.

RL

And what do you do with Titles that start with "The"?

If title starts with THE then I would use the 2nd word...

RL

Anyone?

;)

Your books need you. ;)

into posting pics in a desperate bid for attention. :D :hi:

:D

Those 25 new pictures you PM'd me yesterday were absolutely amazing...

I especially liked the ones with the hot tub and the swing.

:hi:

RL

Except for you...

:loveya:

RL

:eyes:


:P

Wrapped tightly...

:9

RL

:hug:

:hug:

RL

Have you ever thought of one of those book scanners instead of manually entering the information? http://www.collectorz.com/book/flic_barcode_scanner.php For a while those were all the rage with my bibliophile friends. Of course, if they're old and don't have bar codes you're screwn.

:hi:

RL

I love books. Just can't get enough of them.
Wish I lived close enough to help. :hi:

I mean, alphebetizing or not, handling those books...touching them and feeling their weight and the soft, silky texture of their covers and just knowing what's underneath the satiny jackets, knowing in your soul the treasures that lie beneath the covers. Understanding with your whole being the potential that waits quietly at your fingertips, your whim the only thing holding it back and keeping it still. The heady scent that comes from them when you close your eyes and take a breath. The certain knowledge that pleasure is within your grasp if you only reach for it and gently, carefully and reverently open it and take what you want...

Damn.

Damn... That was HOT!

I need a smoke after reading that :9

:loveya:

RL

When I have to alphabetize (usually papers, exams) I sort things into five piles first (A-E, F-J, etc.), then sort each pile. For a large collection, this usually means I end up with a pile of A, B, C ... etc. For even larger collections, repeat the process with the second letter, etc.

I guess anyone with a programming background would use a binary tree -- sort into A-M and N-Z, then sort the A-M into A-H, I-M, etc. Each sort leaves you with a 'current' sort job which is half the size of the previous. After ten sort levels, you'd be dealing with only five books on average. Sort those five, then go 'up' one level and start the binary decisions again. Repeat to exhaustion, as the terminology goes. The obvious advantage here is little need for buffer (shelf) space -- just mark the dividing lines between sorted and unsorted books on each pass as you go. 'Early' books go to the start of that section, 'late' ones to the end. Then sort the new sub-section, etc.

Yes, I actually believe other people think like this, too. :)

That's the area in the stacks has always given me trouble. My pea brain just can't figure it out. :shrug: