>I don't think I have ever thrown away a book.

I used to be that guy. Then I got tired of hauling all that stuff every time I moved.

Now, if I can reasonably expect my library to have it, I don't keep it (unless it's a reference book I need to consult often). And when I buy new books, I prefer ebooks. They don't take up much clutter.

I can certainly understand the feeling, but if you don't want it, donate it. One man's trash...

>I can certainly understand the feeling, but if you don't want it, donate it

I do donate them. Or even sell them. But either way, I get rid of them.

I read that as "spiral staircase", and now I want to figure out how to build a Archimedes-screw-like rotating spiral staircase that also doubles as a bookshelf.

That could be absolutely gorgeous. A couple options that pop into my head. A column in the center which contains a number of shelves, and so the books. But also, you could have the books stored in the steps themselves. The space under the steps is hollow, so turn that into shelves. The height of the books would be an issue, but paperbacks would do well, I think.

One problem with storing books in the column is that as the staircase rotates, it might hit any books that are jutting out.

Although, I guess it doesn't have to rotate, I don't know why I wanted it to rotate.

I misunderstood you. So don't really want a staircase, you want a platform that moves up and down along a screw mechanism? If the column were big enough, you could have the shelves set deep enough to prevent collisions. The doors could shut automatically (weighted mechanism), and a sensor that would prevent the platform from moving if a door was open.

Edit, I guess it could still be a staircase, several steps up and wrapping around a bit, that becomes the platform you ride up and down on.

The platform wouldn't move up and down; the staircase would just rotate around the central axis. It's just a spiral staircase, not an elevator, albeit one that rotates.

The more I think about this, the less reasons I can think of for having the damned thing rotate - aside from the possibility of storing books inside the central cylinder, in which case rotation the staircase would give you access to more space.

Ok, misunderstood again, but I get it now.

Depending on the size of it, the whole column may be accessible without rotation, but may require you to stoop low for some items and maybe reach a bit for others.

Because it's obviously cooler that way.

You could slant the shelves inwards so the books would be less likely to slowly slip out while it spins.

Rotate the column as well.

I'd go for a double-helix staircase. Reference on one side, fiction on the other.

You could get pretty nuts with bookcase staircases. Alternating tread double-helical staircases with books on the inside and outside faces of the stairs, and shelves on the underside of the treads above as well? Probably not to code, but it's would be pretty cool.