Spring for academics signals the end of an intense period of teaching and the beginning of a slower, more flexible season. Summer is usually associated with travel, conferences, or simply stepping back. There are times for rejuvenation and rest.
This year, I found myself approaching spring in a more practical way. I started with a long-overdue task: cleaning and decluttering my house. What began as a simple attempt to organise quickly turned into something more reflective. As I opened boxes that I had not touched for years, I realised I was not just sorting objects. I was revisiting different stages of my life.
Most of these boxes were filled with books. Academic books, novels, non-fiction, works on esoteric topics, books on writing, and even a few controversial or banned titles. Some I had carefully selected, while others seemed to find me by chance in secondhand bookstores or during international travels. My collection in English and Arabic reflects both my professional identity and personal curiosity.
While going through these books, I started thinking seriously about moving. The idea of starting fresh in a new home felt alluring. However, the cost of housing in Oman makes this decision complicated. A large house that can accommodate an extensive personal library is not always realistic. An apartment, on the other hand, is more practical and manageable. But it also comes with space limitations.
This led me to consider something I had been avoiding: reducing my book collection. On a practical level, it makes sense. Books take up space, and moving to a smaller place requires prioritisation. However, I found it difficult to follow through with this idea. Each book is connected to a specific memory, context, need, or phase in my life. Letting go of them feels unnecessary, and in some cases, irreversible.
There is also a structural issue that shapes this decision. Access to books in Oman is not as immediate or reliable as in other places. In countries where books can be ordered online and delivered within a day, it is easier to treat books as temporary possessions. Here, the situation is different. Availability is limited, and certain titles are difficult to find. As a result, maintaining a personal collection becomes less about accumulation and more about ensuring access.
This is particularly evident in how I choose what to read next. After finishing a book, I usually take a few days before starting another. During that time, I often browse my own collection rather than looking for something new externally. This habit turns my shelves into a kind of internal resource.
A recent example illustrates this clearly. After coming across the work of Ken Honda online, I became interested in reading his book ‘Happy Money’. I could not find it in local bookstores, including Borders in Muscat. However, while reorganising my books, I discovered that I had already bought it some time ago. I simply had not read it yet. The same thing happened with a novel I purchased nearly ten years ago and had completely forgotten about until now.
Experiences like these make it difficult to justify downsizing my collection. What may seem like excess at one moment often becomes relevant later. In this sense, my books function less as static objects and more as a flexible archive that I return to over time.
While the idea of moving to a smaller space remains appealing, I am not convinced that reducing my books is the right step. For now, it seems that living with them, rather than without them, is the more practical choice.
Dr Najma Al Zidjaly
The writer is an Associate Professor, SQU
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