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I want to read too many books. This is a job hazard, or a reward, or a little of both, I think. Reading everything I want and keeping my stack smaller than my book bag are not compatible goals. Deciding what to read, what to skim, and what to return is often a challenge.

Lately I’ve been reading Andy Rooney’s “Out of my Mind,” a collection of essays about anything and everything. He cracks me up. I can just hear his voice as I read. The essays are short and amusing. I’ll return this one so someone else can have a few laughs.

“Away” by Amy Bloom can’t be returned now because I’m in the middle of this novel. It is the story of a young immigrant from Russia in the 1920s. I’m a sap for epic novels with maps in the front. As described on the jacket, the book is “brilliant … heartbreaking, romantic, and completely unforgettable.”

Yesterday, John Grisham’s newest book, “Playing for Pizza,” came in for me. It looks like a good football story and is on the best seller list. I’ll read this one next.

I always need one-in-hand when I finish the one (or two) that I am currently reading. It is large print and soft cover which makes it perfect for my upcoming weekend out-of-town. I’ll finish this one before it’s due.

There are several other books checked out to me that I should return. “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Knitting and Crocheting” is at home because page 250 shows me clearly how to crochet an edging on my knit gloves. If I could find my gloves, I’d do it. I better photocopy and return this one. (Copyright laws don’t apply to copying a page for personal use.)

“The Elements of Visual Style” by Robert W. Harris is hard to return. Every time I open it to any page, I learn something. It is a book about making your computer documents attractive, clear and persuasive.

There are little pictures that demonstrate the difference that small changes can make. I haven’t learned everything in this book, but my time is up. It is a return.

“The Fiber35 Diet” is touted by author Brenda Watson to be a revolutionary way to lose weight, improve health, prevent disease, have more energy, and stay slim. I skimmed it, ate lots of fiber for a few days, and lost a pound! There might be something to this diet, but it sure isn’t happening for me this weekend, or over Thanksgiving or Christmas for that matter. So it is a book I would like to read in the future, maybe after I make my new year’s resolutions. I will return it now, but .…

Here’s what I do when I want to read a book later. You can do this, too. First, place the book on hold. This can be done from a home computer at www.lacrossecountylib-rary.com, from any of the library’s computers or a librarian will be glad to help you.

Then, and this is the cool thing, SUSPEND the hold. You can suspend the delivery of books yourself by taking the following steps BEFORE they arrive for pick-up:

n Log in to your account in the library catalog. You will need your library card number to do this.

n Choose to view your holds by choosing the “Holds” option near the top of the screen. A list of the things you have on hold appears.

n Along the left side of the screen are little boxes. Check the box beside titles that you don’t want to get right away.

n Then choose the “activate/suspend” button above the title list.

You can suspend for any reason — too busy, too many, going on vacation, etc. You will not lose your place on a reserve list while you are suspended. Your name will keep moving up the list. If you should get to the top of the list, your name will just wait there until you either reach the activation date or you change your suspended status to active. Then there you will be, next in line to read the book.

This is a great way to manage the flow of books so you don’t get them all at once. You can usually get a series of books in the correct order and you won’t forget what you want to read in the future.

Please ask us if you want help suspending holds. Staff at the county libraries in Bangor, Campbell, Holmen, Onalaska, and West Salem will be happy to help you get the books you want when you want them.

Sharon Aldahl is a La Crosse County Library System staff member at the Hazel Brown Leicht Memorial Library in West Salem.