An antilibrary is a collection of unread books reminding you how much you still don't know. Instead of being a trophy case for finished books, your bookshelf should be a daily reminder of what you haven't learned.
Book: The Black Swan
Ever feel guilty when piles of unopened books glare at you from the corner of the room? That guilt can be a gift from a different perspective.
The writer Umberto Eco had over 30,000 books in his private library. He said:
It is foolish to criticize those who buy more books than they will ever be able to read. It would be like saying that you should use all the cutlery or glasses or screwdrivers or drill bits you bought before buying new ones.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb called the collection of unread books an antilibrary. A bookshelf should not be an ego-boosting device to show how many books you have read. Instead, it should be a daily reminder of what you haven't read yet.
If you think about it, already-read books are far less valuable than unread ones if they are equally well-written.
The more you know, the bigger your collection of unread books might become. But don't worry. The aim isn't to finish every book. Instead, it's about keeping unexplored ideas close at hand and reminding you that there are still things you have yet to learn.