How's your music library?

I have only 250 CDs and 50 SACDs of classical and jazz and vocals and some rock. I am now 58 and don't keep CDs that I am no longer wanting to listen to. But I listen alot to the CDs that I have. It's probably just me but I would be overwhelmed with thousands of CDs. I am always open to new stuff though.
John

I have over 200 books on music and related topics. About two dozen books on album cover art alone and many reference books regarding everything from John Cage to folk, electronic, psychedelic, ethnuc, Blues, punk, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90's rock and jazz. Also, many biographies and just plain weird and fun stuff related to music.
Well...you did say libraries! I have some LPs too.
Happy listening! And reading!

i sort my lps and cds by label. within each label, i sort in numerical sequence. this is the easiest way to find a recording.

i have about 1100 lps and about 1000 cds. i haven't been playing too many lps lately, partially because i am reviewing alot and lps are a nuisance.

i have a method of making sure i listen to all my cds.
i prefer jazz, classical, blues new age and blue grass as musical genres.

i will listen to each genre, in order of label until i have heard all of my cds. i may not play each cd all the way through but will listen to several selections. it does take time to cycle my entire cd collection.

my reviewing keeps me busy. it's quite interesting to audition different components and observe the differences between them. sometimes i get attached to a component, but i can't afford to buy all of them. it's often disappointing to give up something you like.

My collection consists or approximtely 4,000+ LPs and 2,000 CDs. I started in the early 60s typing on 3x5s information about every piece on each record and CD. Each card is filed alphabetically by composer and in some cases I have created files for various instruments and performers. All of these are in the same file drawers, filed alphabetically. Each card contains the composer and his/her dates, the title of the composition, label name and number on the label, timing, format, performers, orchestra, conductor and the name of the person who wrote the program notes and the date the notes were written if available. All LPs are on my shelves alphabetically by recording company and numerically by the number placed on the recording by the record company. This way I do not have to add anything to the record. Needless to say I have thousands of 3x5s but any recording or any selection on any of the records or CDs may be located quickly. It is also very important to "keep up." I have gone through several typewriters over the years. I hope they keep making them!
All of my books are in the same file system but I have them arranged on the shelves by genre or by composers. All of my scores are arranged by composers. I am very fortunate to have a dedicated listening room(20x30 with 14 ft. cathedral ceiling)which is full of all of my books, scores and recordings, and my playback system. Great to be in after a day of teaching!

Jwc, You're more ambitious than I am. :-)

I started to do that once, catalog all my stuff, but ultimately I simplified that by simply purging and or re-prioritizing placement. Apart from recordings I gave away, I have set up two locations - the prime location in classical is where I keep performances that I actually pull out to listen to now, the secondary location is where I put recordings I only pull out for reference.

The prime location is broken down into categories by composer with sub categories of type of music and if the collection is large enuf into further sub-sub categories by performer. Compilations are filed by conductor, on in chamber/solo instrument, by performer(s). (I do this in other types of music but I usually just file by performer).

The benefit is that I don't need to go to a card file or a computer to find stuff that I regularily listen to, don't need to do all that clerical work, and on those few occasions I do need to pull a reference recording it comes up fairly by walking my little fingers. Not a perfect system but it works for me (and FWIW, while the format differs our numbers are not far apart.)