Ya all are gonna hate me for asking this but do you think the desire to buy, own and display a lot of books is a way of signalling your intellect and culture to others more so then for personal enjoyment or love of books? Especially if you aren't using or reading yhem any longer? Kind of like buying and owning an expensive house or car or Rolex is a signifier of your wealth to others when you don't really need those things? Why are you really holding onto that copy of "War and Peace" (which you can get at any library)? Is it to reread someday or is just used as a paper weight to hold the Funyun bag in place while reading the newest Stephen King like mine was ;-).
Hmm, it's an interesting question.
To me, books = home. I have always been surrounded by books, and they signal a certain coziness and comfort. Especially when it's all books I love, walking into my main library room with its walls of books brings a sense of contentment, like being surrounded by old friends and warm memories. Even when just kept on the shelf, the books keep me company.
The books also form a kind of autobiography, a history of my interests as they have unfolded over time. I like being reminded of my high school obsession with Beat poets, and the summer I worked for a highly eccentric man who signed a copy of his memoir for me. It's not just the content, but the actual object of the book itself that holds significance.
Some of these books I might never read again. But I like knowing that I COULD read them. Or pull them off the shelf to lend to a friend. Or read them aloud to my future child.
Many years ago I sold a bunch of books to help pay for a trip abroad. It was worth it, but I still miss some of those books. (And while cleaning yesterday, I turned up the battered travel guidebook I used during that trip! So there are some replacement consolations.)
I find it odd to visit homes with no books. Like some element of character is just missing. I get that people can use libraries and e-books, and I don't judge them as non-intellectual. I just find it a little sterile and cold. But I am a maximalist and love having lots of knick-knacks, mementos, artworks covering every surface, so I think this about most minimal design in general. :-)