It is every bookworm’s dream to have a library of their own. A library is a room of infinite possibilities, where a person can sit down and get lost in a fictional world. For many people, a library is a room where they can slow down and be alone with their own thoughts for a bit.
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The Benefits of a Home Library
Books have been shown to have positive impacts on a person’s life, especially in households that have children. A previous study found that children who grew up in a house with books have a better chance of academic success throughout their lives and be competent at work as adults.
Exposure to books starting at such an early age has been linked to greater literacy and numeracy. Children raised with books around have, unsurprisingly, more expansive vocabulary but also develop math skills. The researchers also revealed that children with home libraries gain significantly higher levels of information communication technology skills.
In fact, the effects of having books at home were so profound that even those who only had high school-level education were as literate, numerate, and technologically adept as a university graduate that was raised around a few or no books.
Reading has also been proven to reduce stress. In a study from 2019, researchers examined the effects of reading, yoga, and humor on stress levels of university students in the U.S.
After 30 minutes of reading, the researchers found that the students had lower blood pressure and heart rate. The participants also reported that the activity alleviated feelings of psychological distress as much as yoga and humor.
Doctors also recommend that people who have trouble sleeping at night incorporate reading as part of their regular night routine. It can help them fall asleep faster and deeper specifically because it lowers levels of stress before bedtime. Many successful entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, Warren Buffet, and Bill Gates are known to be voracious readers.
In addition, a home library offers a moment of solitude. It is a space to escape from the constant noise and stimulation of the internet and mass media. Studies have found that being alone by choice is good for mental health. Those who withdraw socially every once in a while experience more self and creative expression. Choosing solitude can be restorative.
Building a library at your home, therefore, can improve your life. The question now is, which space should you transform into a library.
A Storage Shed for Books
It is a popular home renovation project to turn the humble storage buildings or sheds into an additional living space. Homeowners have been turning the area into a guest bedroom, a home office, or a “she-shed.” No doubt, the room can also serve as your own home library.
The structure does not need much to be transformed into a space suited for book storage and reading. Of course, you will need to have shelves for your books. An upright bookshelf can house your collection of books, but it can take up an already limited floor area. If possible, wall-mounted bookshelves could provide storage and give space underneath for you to create a cozy reading nook.
Aside from a cozy couch, do not forget to bring in a lamp so that you can sit down and read in your library even at night.
Actual Attic Library
The attic is also a space typically converted into a library. This part of the house, unfortunately, is not meant to be a living space. It can get scorching, especially during summer. Therefore, a lot more work is needed to make it comfortable enough for you to spend hours of your day escaping into another world.
The first on the agenda is to ensure ventilation and air circulation. Adding a ceiling fan is an easy way to make the space more comfortable by creating a soft breeze. You also need storage for your books. Many attics are not built to support heavy furniture, so before inserting a shelf, check with a contractor.
After turning the attic into a living space suitable for reading, make it as cozy as you want it to be.
A Closet Full of Books
Not everyone has the space for a room full of books, but that does not mean you cannot have a library of your own at home.
You can create a little nook and be surrounded by books by turning a closet into your home library. You only have to install wall-mounted shelving and, perhaps, a small but cozy chair so you can sit back, relax, and read.
A home library does not have to be big. It only has to house your collection of books and have a space where you can read for it to be perfect.
