Problem: “I have a big collection and can never find James Beard when I need him.”

Solution: Organize books to match your style. One approach does not fit all. Your system should reflect your own inner logic and tastes. It may make sense to alphabetize one section by author, create another section for a favorite ingredient (tomatoes, lemons, herbs) or theme (barbecue, dessert), and order a third section by geography.

Sharon Chickanzeff, a curator at New York University’s Fales Library, in New York City, says she recently received a donation of approximately 7,000 cookbooks from a collector who had “a whole box of books just on Hawaii.” If you too are big on world cuisines, suggests Bonnie Slotnick of Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, start with those from your region, then move along the shelf in a logical direction — say, from California to New York, down to South America, across to Europe, then to Africa, and so on.

Another shelf could follow a trail from the beginning of the day — breakfast — and on to sandwiches, snacks, appetizers, and main events. Whatever works for you.