>>I think you can have too many bookcases.

I dunno. We're big book borrowers/lenders in my family.

When the family is over, it is the norm to have Dad, brothers or sister be bringing back books they've borrowed to switch for some they haven't read yet.

They also drop off books they've bought and read. This adds to the communal pool.

(Mom doesn't borrow books since she reads French and all my books - save one or two - are English)

Plus, having all those books around when my son was young encouraged him to read (I never said no to buying books). His being an avid reader helped him tremendously in school.