Former UX designer and information architect, Chiara Ogan, discusses organizing her personal library for a career change. Topics include physical vs. digital books, limitations of the Dewey decimal system, and different library classification schemes
Chiara Ogan highlights the importance of considering the purpose and use of a book collection when organizing it.
Kiara advises individuals to align the organization of their book collections with their personal motivations and goals.
Deep dives
Kiara's career transition to become a mental health therapist
Kiara, a former UX designer and information architect, discusses her decision to leave her career and pursue a new path as a mental health therapist. She explains how her background in library science and user experience design has led her to this career change, as she seeks to bring compassion and ease suffering to others.
Kiara's experience with information organization and classification
Kiara shares her experience organizing her personal book collection, drawing on her background in library science and information architecture. She discusses her use of the Dewey Decimal System and how she has adapted it to categorize and arrange her books. She emphasizes the importance of considering the purpose and use of the collection in determining the organization.
Arranging books based on physical constraints and use
Kiara explains how she considers physical constraints and usage patterns when organizing her books. She highlights the importance of placing books where they will be most frequently accessed and used, such as cookbooks in the kitchen or frequently referenced books near her desk. She also touches on the serendipity and sense of discovery that can come from rearranging books.
Considering personal motivations and goals for book organization
Kiara advises individuals to reflect on their personal motivations and goals for organizing their book collections. She emphasizes that understanding why you have the books and how you want to live with them will help determine the most suitable organization approach. Whether it's for aesthetics, practical usage, or investment purposes, aligning the organization with personal needs and preferences is key.
Chiara Ogan is a former UX designer and information architect. She recently left that career to become a mental health therapist. Chiara’s background is in library science, and in this conversation, we discuss how she organizes her personal book collection — which she just did in preparation for this major life change.