That is not how that works. Las vegas is full of pools and fountains... INDOORS. they retain the moisture in their enclosed ecosystems. We have ACs that pull water out of the air, and we also know how to make buildings.
I have a backburner idea of a VR library room. It would be neat to have a database I could sort how I liked (for example, by fiction/non, then publication year -> but series use the AVERAGE single year for the series) That sorting is a mess on its own.
It also needs a way to pull spine images or have a computer go from bad spine pics to simplified colour-matching digital ones.
Other options - finding when you have a room with books from multiple homes (blended families, inherited), insurance, or for a "why is book 7 of the series here" massive sorting project with a good audiobook for company.
Perhaps because it seems overly complicated, with a lot of manual parts prone to error? You made something that is N long (scan each book) into something over 3N (photo all might not be N, but transcribe titles, pull out, open, photo, then transcribe isbn/info is 3N or more.) I got the idea from a book (24 Hour Bookstore/Ajax Penumbra) but a panorama of a room to pick up the spines would be amazing.
I don't see it here, but even accepting the need to barcode/isbn all the books, I would like a way to pull digitized or high-quality spine images for a VR library that is fed from an ISBN database of what you want it stocked with, using a query for shelving/sorting. I fear that this is a whole new project, akin to the original good cover scans, but lacking even a starting point from publisher sites.
When you see a lot of books, ask the seller for a bulk discount. Check with recycling centers and ask really nicely. Third, local libraries get donations they then sell for money donations or they have to dispose of - especially old text books.
These are ways to acquire books, but maybe not quality or good condition. Another option is Half Price Books sells "books by the foot" like old encyclopedias or law books for aesthetic value.
I think it ought to fall afoul of "informed consent." Did someone actually consent to paying without being informed of the price, or is it non-consent by virtue of being coerced by lack of information?
I have been searching around off and on. I found a HN thread for years ago too!
It seems that people have favourites but there is nothing leading the charge. I know someone that has a barcode reader and wrote ee's own code to parse it for a database, even printing personal barcodes to handle repeats (sentimental value, different format).
I think ISBNs sometimes are different soft vs hard, BUT ISBNs are new and sometimes get reused, plus the barcode might be for a category or "book/zine of series" and not a particular copy.
I know Amazon, and thus goodreads, can now do search by cover - it is amazon, but it does avoid a lot of issues. Goodreads might be best for you just for phone and cover scanning. It is, however, slow. You can use shelves/tags for locations but it is ... slow.
I think the best system would be a combo of cover scanning, cataloging your photo in the entry, and notes of signed/writen notes. BUT for location tying it to a barcode reader that can scan the new shelf's barcode and the book, but that requires personally barcoding books (please use removable stickers!) and is a bit over involved.
Personally, the weird case I really want and am not sure how to peice together is a way to pull good spine photos/digitals. I know mu books by spine so I'd love to see if a book catalog could have a spine database and be used to make a virtual library.