Alberto Manguel has written more books about books and reading and libraries than anyone else that I have ever read. Some of my favourites have been [b:A History Of Reading|1329252|A History Of Reading|Alberto Manguel|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1182790346s/1329252.jpg|1334214] and [b:Homer's the Iliad and the Odyssey: A Biography|1579091|Homer's the Iliad and the Odyssey A Biography|Alberto Manguel|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328774640s/1579091.jpg|2920312] (both pre-GR reading but due for rereads soon I think). His newest "Packing My Library" is structured around the act of having his 35,000 volume library in France being packed up for storage when he was set to move to the US and then instead became diverted to become the Director of the National Library of Argentina, his birth country.

The main arc of the packing and moving tale is interrupted by 10 digressions in which Manguel ponders libraries in general and the purpose and goals of a National Library in particular. Bibliophiles will love it.

Trivia Link
35,000 books in a personal library is a bit hard to picture and I haven't found a video of Manguel's French barn library, but in the meantime, here is a video of [a:Umberto Eco|1730|Umberto Eco|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1455915753p2/1730.jpg] walking through his apartment home library of 30,o00 volumes at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoEuvgT1wBs