What do you do when you finish reading a book ?

Do you:

- throw it away
- give it away, or sell it to a second-hand bookstore ?
- store it on your bookshelf for posterity / reading again later ?
- catalogue it ?
- summarise it ?
- write your name and/or address in it ?
- protect it with a cover (adhesive/non-adhesive) ?
- memorise it ?
- re-write it out long hand
- your own answer ?

(more than one answer may apply, of course)

I used to write my name in plus the date I read I the book, usually just the year. Later I started to stick in a pre-printed label with my name and address/telephone number plus the full date (including the day and month) that I finished reading the book. More recently I read that labels / bookplates and writing will devalue a book so I no longer do this. I stick inside a post-it note with the date finished, but no name / address.

Whenever possible I also retain the purchase receipt and slip it inside to show where and when I purchased the book.

All of the books I have read are catalogued in a notebook which I have peculiarly titled "Books I Have Read" (and covered with a protective cover). Unread books are not catalogued, but I have just started creating a database including all my read and unread books.

In the last few weeks I have undertaken a project to cover all of my books with a non-adhesive plastic cover, and I am making good progress with this, and although it can be very time-consuming, I take pleasure in just handling the books and seeing the resultant covered product.

I have found a useful website for book preservation and repair:

I would be interested to hear what others do when they have finished a book.