--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Collect books, even if you don't plan on…" description: "\"“Collect books, even if you don't plan on reading them right away. Nothing is more important than an unread library.”\" — John Waters" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7db/john-waters-751_art_collect-books-even-if-you-don-t-plan-on_2372635.jpg" --- # Collect books, even if you don't plan on reading them… ![“Collect books, even if you don't plan on reading them right away. Nothing is more important than an unread library.” quote by John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7db/john-waters-751_art_collect-books-even-if-you-don-t-plan-on_2372635.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7db/john-waters-751_art_collect-books-even-if-you-don-t-plan-on_2372635.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7db/john-waters-751_art_collect-books-even-if-you-don-t-plan-on_2372635.jpg) > ““Collect books, even if you don't plan on reading them right away. Nothing is more important than an unread library.”” [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collecting books creates a personal library that holds potential knowledge, even if not immediately read. **In simple terms:** Books are valuable even unread. Key Takeaway Build a library for future learning. Themes reading collection knowledge anticipation Mood inspired thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - home libraries - gift giving - academic research - travel Key Concepts library science personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to collect books? - How do you decide which books to keep? A Different Perspective Collecting can become hoarding if not curated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Collect books, even if you don't plan on reading them right away. Filmmaker John Waters has said, "Nothing is more important than an unread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/collect-books-even-if-you-don-t-plan-on-reading-them-right-away/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Nothing is more important than an unread library.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/nothing-is-more-important-than-an-unread-library/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Nothing is more impotent than an unread library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/nothing-is-more-impotent-than-an-unread-library/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [“Always be reading. Go to the library. There’s magic in being surrounded by books. Get lost in the stacks. Read bibliographies. It’s not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/always-be-reading-go-to-the-library-there-s-magic-in-being-surrounded/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“The show must go on, and so must The Book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/the-show-must-go-on-and-so-must-the-book/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [“Write freely and with feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-lopez/write-freely-and-with-feeling/) Dee Lopez > [“Francie thought that all the books in the world were in that library and she had a plan about reading all the books in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/francie-thought-that-all-the-books-in-the-world-were-in-that-library/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [“People plan their reading? Takes all kinds… Books just find me. They converge upon me like flocks of benevolent vultures. They follow me home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/people-plan-their-reading-takes-all-kinds-books-just-find-me-they/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“Corliss wondered what happens to a book that sits unread on a library shelf for thirty years. Can a book rightfully be called a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/corliss-wondered-what-happens-to-a-book-that-sits-unread-on-a-library-2/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Corliss wondered what happens to a book that sits unread on a library shelf for thirty years. 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Biv instead of alphabetically, are displaying the fact that their books aren't meant to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/people-who-collect-books-and-categorize-them-by-roy-g-biv-instead-of/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I don't really collect books. I tend to lose interest in them the minute I've read them, so most of the books I've read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/i-don-t-really-collect-books-i-tend-to-lose-interest-in-them-the/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“I have no feeling of guilt regarding the books I have not read and perhaps will never read; I know that my books have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-manguel/i-have-no-feeling-of-guilt-regarding-the-books-i-have-not-read-and/) [Alberto Manguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-manguel/) ## More by John Waters > [There was a cultural war going on, the '60s was going on. All the film critics were square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/there-was-a-cultural-war-going-on-the-60s-was-going-on-all-the-film/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm here today because of LSD. LSD gave me the confidence to be who I am today. 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