How I built our (classical) library on a budget. | The Home Librarian Series | COMMON MOM

I can't be the only one building a great library on a budget, right? Let's talk about how I do it.
_
*GET ALL OF THE NOVEMBER BOOK MONTH RESOURCES AND MORE*: commonhouse.mn.co/
_
Want to learn more? We'd be happy to have you!
*PODCAST: www.podcasts.apple.com/us/pod...
*COMMON HOUSE: commonhouse.mn.co/
*WEBSITE: www.thecommonplacepodcast.com
*PHOTOGRAPHY: www.wearethekerns.com
_
MORE CLASSICAL CHARLOTTE MASON HOMESCHOOLING:
Charlotte Mason Principles Series: • How to Narrate MUSIC &...
THE CMEC: • WHY WE CHOSE THE CMEC!...
Get Your Bearings Series: • Twaddle vs Living Book...
The Home Librarian Series: • 6 Books to Read as a (...

Пікірлер: 94

  • @jenniferallison3323
    @jenniferallison3323 Жыл бұрын

    Anyone else hoping she posts her booklist!? ❤😅

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    I have shared my 2023 reading list within Patreon (and on-going lists of books for moms and kids)! But I haven't thought to share the whole catalogue! Perhaps!

  • @jenniferallison3323

    @jenniferallison3323

    Жыл бұрын

    @@thecommonplacehomeschool I’m sure we would all love to know! Thank you for everything you do share. I would love the opportunity to build my children’s children a living library. Getting to get a head start with the last 6 years you have spent would be a worthwhile investment.

  • @jesikaglenn4561
    @jesikaglenn4561 Жыл бұрын

    I found last week an old copy (1943) of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for $1! In a dark, smelly still LOVELY local thrift store. Was such a rush. I don't know how much it retails for, but I don't care! It's precious.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    I just nabbed another copy of that recently! It’s such a good one.

  • @sylviamaike6866
    @sylviamaike68665 ай бұрын

    Just washing my dishes and marveling that someone else understands the high-stakes intense maneuvering of library book sales 😂

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    5 ай бұрын

    It is my Olympics.

  • @angelamarie8634

    @angelamarie8634

    3 ай бұрын

    Oh my gosh, my local library is having a book sale soon and I asked the librarian how they have it organized etc. My husband laughed but it is intense. I feel like rocky preparing to fight the Russian. This video is my upside sit-ups.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    3 ай бұрын

    @@angelamarie8634 HahahHaha YES.

  • @britgauger5334
    @britgauger5334 Жыл бұрын

    The only time I ever played the "pregnancy card" (as in Look at this baby bump and let me go first) was at the library book sale. It paid off in the form of a beautiful edition of The Age of Innocence.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Brit, you're my kind of woman. (Also, SUCH a good book! I have a Barnes and Noble paperback, so let me know if you find another beautiful edition.) The only time I've ever played my pregnancy card was at a wedding where I ate the lion's share of the bacon-wrapped scallops. Just gave the ol' belly a good rub and it was as good as magic!

  • @lindsay_may
    @lindsay_may Жыл бұрын

    Yay books! I catalogued all of my books a couple of years ago and it was so fun 😊 I’m impressed you managed to catalogue such a large collection in only 8 hours!

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    I had my oldest helping me, and we didn't stop for food, which helped. ;)

  • @chelseyummali
    @chelseyummaliАй бұрын

    I was on a literature obsession, reading through books in a couple weeks time, so I bought 10ish books and came to Great Expectations which has now taken me a year to read LOL it’s been a touch read to say the least.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Ай бұрын

    That always happens to me with Russian lit.

  • @chelseyummali

    @chelseyummali

    Ай бұрын

    @thecommonplacehomeschool oh no haha, I have Anna Karenina but I'm waiting for the right time. I hear it can be a hard read.

  • @kate3276
    @kate3276 Жыл бұрын

    Love the list suggestion! It is so easy to get side tracked at the thrift shop, yard sale, library book sale etc.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    It’s happened to me so many times. The list! The list! And then you can tell your husband it was a planned purchase. No rogue spending, babe!

  • @seasonsofwonder
    @seasonsofwonder Жыл бұрын

    Classic books are so much lovelier in those older edition covers. And I can totally identify with finding treasures online. Once I was bidding on ebay for an old commentary. I was so nervous, and my husband comforted me saying I shouldn't really worry since people are not after books like this. He was right! 😉 Thank you so much for sharing. I am now working towards building our home library, and this is just what I needed.💕

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Ah, a big win! Once I was in a very stressful bid for Madeleine L’Engle’s complete Plutarch set. (They sold her library after she died.) (I lost.) But I kept fuming that the other person probably wouldn’t even READ Plutarch. 🤪😉 Happy book hunting!

  • @seasonsofwonder

    @seasonsofwonder

    Жыл бұрын

    @@thecommonplacehomeschool oh no! I'm so sorry to hear that. And yes. Sometimes I imagine people sitting with treasure books I would absolutely love to have and those just sitting there abandoned somewhere in their garage or basement. Isn't that a horrible thought? 😞

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    @@seasonsofwonder it pains me.

  • @0723Katiebutler
    @0723Katiebutler Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the excellent suggestions. I've started more recently to pay attention to the edition - it can make SUCH a difference. My parents shopped library sales all the time and they bought many, many old books this way. My Father's favorite book of all time has been out of print for many years, and so he bought every copy he would come across. When he died, there was a nice, old copy for each of us to have ❤. That inherited copy is a prized possession of mine.... and now I look for copies at library sales.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    SEE, your dad got the vision. EXACTLY. What a gift to your family and, I'm guessing, to your children in the future. Lovely, lovely family inheritance.

  • @0723Katiebutler

    @0723Katiebutler

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes, he had vision. I'm realizing more and more at this stage in my life just how much vision he had and how grateful I am for it. ❤

  • @jnkimx08
    @jnkimx087 ай бұрын

    Book Gluttony. You really hit the nail on the head. As much as I don't like hearing it, it resonates true. I've recently started watching your videos and really do feel like I came across it just as I've started feeling a sense of conviction about my book reading habits. I definitely stay away from certain types of books and have been trying to read more intentionally as of late, but it's not easy. Our time is so valuable and as Christians.... oh my goodness... how would we fare if we are to give an account for how we spent our time and money...? I appreciate hearing you remind us of these things.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    7 ай бұрын

    Such a good encouragement. Thank you!

  • @Blockishbookhead
    @Blockishbookhead3 ай бұрын

    Me watching this with my 6-in-1 omnibus edition of The Original Homeschool series, whose title spells Charlotte Mason as “Charlotte Masson” with two s’s 😂 (Biggest error in the history of printing!) and whose cover features a stock image of a homeschool mom helping her daughter on a laptop 😂😂 I don’t lie! Thankfully Mason is spelled correctly in the actual texts inside. When I picked it up at a used bookstore I had pause but it was only $18 for all the books 😅 I’m a recovering utilitarian. Your channel has been a great help.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    3 ай бұрын

    Hahaha, no way!! Masson?! $18?! That is hilarious but what a find. Also a recovering utilitarian. So happy to have you here!

  • @JA-vv8wy
    @JA-vv8wy10 ай бұрын

    On top of a new love of classical books as I prepare to educate my son, my husband is also a pastor and came into the marriage with TONs of theological books. They’re coming out of our ears…but they’re beautiful.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    10 ай бұрын

    A rich library for the win!

  • @brittany6606
    @brittany6606 Жыл бұрын

    Omg I love how deep and sad your voice went you said kids get rid of their parents libraries when they die. I could hear the I will haunt my kids in your tone!!! 🤣

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Hahah. If they don't fight over my books, I didn't do something right.

  • @amandayoerger8758
    @amandayoerger8758 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you! The library book sales are my favorite. I really need a better list to keep me focused. I’ve found some lovely books at garage sales as well.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Same! When older people move, they usually part with some good ones!

  • @melanievallely9539
    @melanievallely9539 Жыл бұрын

    I miss library book sales 😩 They got rid of them in our area after '20. I once got an (almost) complete set of Mark Twain books from the turn of the century. They were my favorite sales to go to ever since I was in high school. My most prized book is one of the earliest editions of Little Lord Fauntleroy (from late 1800s) that was gifted to my great great grandfather when he was a boy.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    They didn't! How rude! Those are amazing books to have in a collection. That's what I call a treasure.

  • @thujahillhomemaking
    @thujahillhomemaking Жыл бұрын

    Excellent video. Thank you for sharing. Very much in agreement.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @bethanylaurenreads
    @bethanylaurenreads Жыл бұрын

    Love this! Now I want to count my books 😂 I need to go through them and take out all the YA I’ve outgrown.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm always surprised when I need to count them for something!

  • @kimmylucas7263
    @kimmylucas7263 Жыл бұрын

    This is great! I love library book sales. Just recently began my journey of exploring living books and I was able to snag at a local library sale The Ox-Cart Man, Blueberries for Sal, and others in practically new condition. I believe they were around 50 cents each 👏🏻

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    See! People just don't know what's a treasure. Those are two of our favorites!

  • @crystalh28
    @crystalh28 Жыл бұрын

    There is a thrift store near my house that has a small section for older books that come in. Anytime I am there, I head straight for that section. Once I found a set of 5 books, gorgeously bound, from the later 1800's. They were $1 each! Our library recently had a book sale and I found a couple books from the early 1900's for $2 each. It's so exciting to find these treasures. I do not check online, because I just assume they will be priced very high. I will need to start looking. Thank you for this video.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    I definitely get better prices in person than online, but there are some things I know I have a better chance of finding online (like Owen Barfield's The Silver Trumpet!) so I keep searching. Isn't it so fun to think of those late 1800s books as brand new gifts to someone?!

  • @migdalahb
    @migdalahb Жыл бұрын

    I read the title and stopped everything to watch. You always have such helpful information and it is truly appreciated. I would be one of the crazy homeschool moms at the book sales but never rude 😂!

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    I try to only speak to what I know and I know that I need to have at least five more kids so when I roll into my book sales I can cover more ground BECAUSE WE ARE NOT MESSING AROUND. Hi. It’s me. I’m the homeschool mom at the sale. 😅🫠

  • @migdalahb

    @migdalahb

    Жыл бұрын

    @@thecommonplacehomeschool Yep, the “book family” is now here!!

  • @thefruitofherhome
    @thefruitofherhome Жыл бұрын

    "Creepy book basements" LOL had me laughing!! Loved this! I love seeing other mamas passionate about books! I feel like a crazy woman when I talk about how much I love books. Glad I'm not alone in the hunt/enjoyment of them!

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    ...he's not wrong. "Creepy book basement" is how I'll go. It didn't even occur to me that bookshelves in a basement may not be safe. Ha! It's the homeschool mom version of "I have candy in my van", ya know? Long live the book moms. We're on the right track!

  • @areoivy

    @areoivy

    11 ай бұрын

    I found some lovely Mark Twain books this way. My husband did the pick up though.

  • @marier402
    @marier402 Жыл бұрын

    This is hilarious. I would not want to be up against you at a book sale, Autumn. Hehehe (I think I’d actually just like to sit back and watch.) Seriously, though, I’m grateful for this video and looking forward to the next one! I really need to organize my library and chuck the twaddle.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm very focused. 98% of my mind is on the book hunt while the other 2% is listening for sounds of my children to make sure they're around. ;)

  • @heatherray2025
    @heatherray2025 Жыл бұрын

    Someone gifted us a first edition Feckless🥰. My balance is trying to manage 4 in school all on different levels and got burned on a few "trusted" curriculum booklists. We are slowly culling our library of hidden twaddle, and improving quality of some copies as we can. I need a good organization system though for our library. And yes, suburbs have little free libraries but less library/school sales. And we have almost no used bookstores around 🥺

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Major bummer on the library sales, but if you're near a city, maybe look at those library calendars? Carry on with the library overhaul! You can do it!

  • @SB-xc2jv
    @SB-xc2jv Жыл бұрын

    Could you share some of your favorite editions and/or translations of the classics on your list?

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Oh yes! That would be a fun video!

  • @bethanyhavener5803
    @bethanyhavener58037 ай бұрын

    Any tips on taking the plastic library book jacket off without that tough tape ruining your cover? 😫

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    7 ай бұрын

    Ooh, I haven't run into that. Most of mine are book jacket-less. Charlotte Mason Poetry might have tips from Tessa!

  • @garlandofbooks4494
    @garlandofbooks4494 Жыл бұрын

    I have about 5 copies of Jane Eyre too, but it’s not an accident 😂 that’s one of my most favorite books ever and I can’t part with them. 😊

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Each of my copies is SO PRETTY. So now, I tell myself that all of my kids can find a favorite to take with them one day but I'll still have one too.

  • @garlandofbooks4494

    @garlandofbooks4494

    Жыл бұрын

    I wish all my copies were pretty. The first I ever read is an old paperback and the front and back covers have fallen off but I still can’t get rid of it. I do have 2 pretty hardbacks though!

  • @sarahmarinkovich-durfee4509
    @sarahmarinkovich-durfee4509 Жыл бұрын

    Oh the creepy bookstores! We have a couple used bookstores here but they charge an arm and a leg because they are antique stores. There is only one real used bookstore but it’s in an awful area and most of the books are in the dark basement with no exit and no one is ever down there with you. I used to only go with other ladies- never on my own. Now I shop online used bookstores. Not only does my city not have a lot of places for book, it helps keep me focused on what I am looking for.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Ah, yes. Antique stores definitely think highly of themselves. So sad about the creepy basement, Sarah!

  • @morganbarclay7080
    @morganbarclay7080 Жыл бұрын

    Do you make in your books? I annotate the books I read and especially the ones I’m teaching. I usually prefer to mark in a paper back. I call it my work copy. But I do love a beautiful hard copy.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    This is an excellent point! I will mark up a paper copy (and will buy a very cheap paperback of a favorite book to do so!) but I do not mark a hardback.

  • @bellyartistcafe
    @bellyartistcafe Жыл бұрын

    I have experienced the creepy book basement guy. He kept following me around commenting on the books I was selecting. He read my horoscope and asked me all sorts of questions. Had to call my Mother to “come look at the amazing book collection” so I could have backup to rescue my books from the creepdom.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Bah! No! Bleh!

  • @haileydannatt9625
    @haileydannatt96258 ай бұрын

    Hi. I am really curious what authors/versions of the Grimm fairytales do you think are great?

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    8 ай бұрын

    Hey there! Do you mean which stories within Grimms or which editions of Grimms?

  • @alikettmer9714
    @alikettmer9714 Жыл бұрын

    Random 😅 I’d love to see a walk through your wardrobe. Your clothes are so pretty 😍

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Haha, thank you! Honestly, you've seen most of them. I'm not a shopper, so I tend to pick a few of the same things in a few colors/options. I mainly wear 5-6 dresses on a loop!

  • @jessicagoss9137
    @jessicagoss9137 Жыл бұрын

    What kind of bookshelves do you have? I have books…lots of books, but after pricing out custom bookshelves 😮. We need to find a more affordable option for our home library. Thanks.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    I dream of built-ins, but for now, we have shelves from CB2 and are about to hang simple floating shelves up a wall and spend money on interesting book ends instead of on shelves. Shelves are pricey!

  • @antonellabassi3466

    @antonellabassi3466

    9 ай бұрын

    @@thecommonplacehomeschool the Ikea Billy bookcases are cheap and sturdy enough for a home library. The Swedes love their books, apparently. In my flat they just 'hug' all the available walls and create a great library BTW Buy the toppers to extend the height!

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    9 ай бұрын

    Oooh, great tip! Thank you!@@antonellabassi3466

  • @annarusso7278
    @annarusso72786 ай бұрын

    I’m an awful reader how do I grow in the desire to want to read the rich ones?

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    6 ай бұрын

    I recommend starting with John Senior's The Thousand Good Books List. Find wherever you've read to on the list (even if it's seventh grade!) and keep going from there. "Mother Culture" is reading for about half an hour a day. Commit to that (which may be hard at first!) and you'll find your reading muscles growing. seascs.net/documents/2017/10/John%20Senior%20The%20Thousand%20Good%20Books%20List.pdf

  • @Dave-fk5tz
    @Dave-fk5tz Жыл бұрын

    How I build a library on a budget : - buy a shelf - put books into it TADAAAA

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Dave, I hear ya. How I "decorate" or "style" my shelves: put books on them. TADAAA.

  • @parker2969
    @parker2969 Жыл бұрын

    Tons of free books online that can be downloaded. And with the understanding of computers you can print them all for yourself when ever you want. But books look sexy and feel great so go for it 🤣

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Parker, terrible advice. You can't fake that old book smell no matter how you print it. Possible mold trumps free online books, right?

  • @brandibanadyga3988

    @brandibanadyga3988

    8 ай бұрын

    Most homeschool moms know how much it costs to print something and bins it…. Definitely not worth spending $60 to print a classic when you can find it for cheaper used!

  • @lh3003
    @lh30036 ай бұрын

    Creepy book basement 😂

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    6 ай бұрын

    IYKYK

  • @lesliehoward887
    @lesliehoward887 Жыл бұрын

    18,000 children 😂

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    You know 'em when you see 'em.

  • @homeschool.pray.repeat
    @homeschool.pray.repeatАй бұрын

    It’s fun, until you find mold. It totally turned me off from book hunting.

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Ай бұрын

    Ugh. I had NEVER thought about that until someone left me a similar comment last year!

  • @FamilyStyleLearning
    @FamilyStyleLearning Жыл бұрын

    I love your excitement and passion over this 😆 I don't want to seem rude and link a video on your comments so I'll DM you on Instagram, but I found a way to create a homeschool library for free and then over the years we can replace books or get more but it got us started. I think you'll really like it. Thanks for all the fun tips and enthusiasm!

  • @thecommonplacehomeschool

    @thecommonplacehomeschool

    Жыл бұрын

    Please share it right here for everyone’s benefit!! I don’t believe I’m a special unicorn of ideas or wisdom; I want to point to all the great resources that help a mom bring truth, goodness, and beauty into her home. So, TELL THE MOMS HOW TO GET GOOD BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY!

  • @FamilyStyleLearning

    @FamilyStyleLearning

    Жыл бұрын

    @@thecommonplacehomeschool 😆 Ok. Thank you!

  • @KHomestead

    @KHomestead

    Ай бұрын

    @@FamilyStyleLearningwhat's your secret? 🥹

Келесі