I've been thinking about this lately, due to my book-buying issue, coupled with lack of space. My books are all on shelves, finished or not, so that they're easy to find if I need them... plus I have nowhere else to put the ones I haven't read (That's what the bookcases are for). I never saw it as describing who I was because no one else comes here to see! This is probably negated by having librarything now, though it's still mainly for my pleasure and finding similar people.

All I know is that I really need to get rid of the books I didn't enjoy, or don't read anymore. But, I just...can't. Ahhh. Serious problem.

I had new shelves put in with my remodel last year, so for the first time in my life I have (or almost have) enough shelf space for my books. But I'm still trying to prune back, keeping only books I know I'll want to reread/want to reread before I give them away, well-loved books, books I haven't read yet. I have most of the latter (at least the fiction) in their own area in the basement, for easy browsing. I have far, far too many of them, but I can't seem to admit I'm not going to read something that once intrigued me.

I tend to make the choices as to what to keep based on 1) if I liked it enough that I know I'll want to reread, and 2) it wouldn't be easily available from the local public library/the uni library where I work, and 3) I could get an impulsive NEED to start reading it late at night when the libraries are closed. Not that I only keep books in this category, but it's a good guideline for my fiction, at least.