How to Build the Ultimate SHTF Library

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Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

The human race is remarkably resilient. Throughout history we’ve survived wars, natural catastrophes, and yes, even pandemics. But that survival wasn’t without casualties based on location, circumstances or just bad luck.

But for many of the survivors there was another factor. The knowledge and awareness of how to make the right decision at the right time to not only survive events as they happened, but survive the aftermath sometimes lasting for years, decades and even a lifetime.

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The knowledge, skills, and abilities that many survivors possess sometimes comes from experience, at other times upbringing, and mostly the determination to learn self-sufficiency, practice sustainability, and master basic survival skills.

And that learning is captured in many books dedicated to a range of subjects that can not only educate a determined survivor, but serve as a knowledge bank for the future.

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A Worst Case Scenario

Imagine a time when everything goes wrong. Natural disasters and regional conflicts aggravate further civil unrest driven by numerous factors from economic failures to societal collapse.

The grid is down. The Internet is hacked and corrupted, affecting everything from commerce to cell phones and most every other form of communication. Retail stores are shuttered, local emergency services are overwhelmed, medical facilities are filled to capacity, and there’s no end in sight. It’s a worst case scenario that can not only happen but has already happened in the past.

It’s the Dark Ages Part II, and if you need information about anything, your only sources are going to be your memory—and books.

The Value of Your Knowledge Bank

You can have food storage that will last for years, medical supplies to equip a hospital, and more firearms than a platoon of marines, but it won’t mean a thing if you don’t know how to find and filter water, preserve food, repair an engine, or use all those medical supplies.

Some of those things may already be in your wheelhouse, but it’s a good bet there are plenty of things even the best of us don’t know. Books can give you a fighting chance when everything is a challenge.

Digital Books or Hard Copies?

Digital books are cheaper and you can store a library on something as small as a jump drive or a Kindle Reader. The only caution is that electronics are fragile. There are books that can tell you all about how to fix electronic devices. But they’re no help if the book about fixing electronic devices is on the device you need to fix.

Portability is another good argument for digital copies of books. At a time when bugging out may become a regular activity it’s a lot easier to take your library with you if it’s on a small, portable device.

But then there’s the recharging problem, and while that can be remedied with a small, solar power bank there’s the bigger challenge of losing your iPad or jump drive or simply dropping it and breaking it.

In the end, the safest bet may be the oldest form of books: hard copies, and ideally with a hard cover. Yes, they’re big, heavy, and more expensive, but if you choose wisely you may find that the extra effort is worth it.

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Some would argue that you could print out a copy of a digital book as a backup to your electronic version. That’s actually a really good idea, but how many of us are going to take the time to print and bind a hard copy of every digital book we own?

Buy hard cover books if you can, paperbacks if that’s all that’s available, and maybe keep some key books on a jump drive as digital versions… just in case.

Store your books carefully, and remember that moisture is the greatest enemy of paper. Keep them in a dry place, off the floor, and out of boxes as much as possible.

Which Books to Buy?

A lot depends on what you know. If you’re a master carpenter, you probably don’t need to stock up on too many books about carpentry. If you’re a doctor, nurse, or any other kind of medical professional, you may not need every first aid book from every armed service on the planet.

Then again, even the pros know that certain books are invaluable as a reference source for formulas, equations, and alternatives, so don’t get cocky.

Another factor to consider are family and friends. They may need to borrow a book to figure out how to do something you don’t have the time to help with, or at a time when you might not be available. In that regard, your knowledge bank becomes a legacy of information educating your kids and grandkids as the world slowly (and hopefully) gets back on its feet.

Complete Guides to Various Subjects

If your budget is tight or you want to travel light, you should consider these books that combine a range of information about subjects. They sometimes lack detail about certain things and may only present one way of doing something, but they at least give you the coverage you may need someday.

Shelter and Basic Construction

It’s quite possible that you may have to do major repairs or new construction as time goes on. These books cover both current and traditional construction of a range of buildings from homes to barns, sheds, and other outbuildings.

Plumbing

Anyone who has ever done any plumbing knows that new challenges always lurk around the next pipe. This is another example of a skill you may need to repair a structure after a natural disaster or determine the best way to install plumbing for new construction.

Gas Powered Equipment Maintenance and Repair

Assuming gasoline is still available, gas powered tools may be indispensable in a do-it-yourself environment. Whether it’s a generator that won’t start, a chain saw that keeps quitting, or a small tractor that bellows smoke like a semi, the ability to maintain and repair small engines can make life a whole lot easier in overwhelming times.

Electrical

Another critical subject for repairs or new construction including alternative energy wiring for solar and wind power.

Electronics

Even without the Internet, there could be plenty of uses for electronic devices, especially if Internet or cell phone service becomes available from time to time. This is one of those times when you definitely want a hard copy of the book rather than a digital version stored electronically.

Alternative Electric Power

Possibly one of the most critical subjects to understand in a time without reliable electric power. It would be wise to have some of the equipment and supplies for an alternative power system, but you may need these books to figure out how to get them working.

Alternative Water

Many municipalities are already facing water shortages and, in desperate times, water may not be reliably available.

Alternative Heating Sources

Heat is another comfort that we take for granted. Knowing how to improvise heat sources is a wise move and many alternatives like wood stoves can be improvised from a range of scavenged materials.

Gardening

Civilization began 10,000 years ago when Mesopotamian farmers figured out how to plant seeds to raise crops. If you want to retain a civilized lifestyle when grocery stores are a thing of the past, it makes sense to understand the dynamics of gardening.

Animal Husbandry

A big, second step at the dawn of civilization was the domestication of animals. You don’t need a farm to raise chickens, rabbits, and other small animals, and these books cover all of the basics for this fundamental source of protein.

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Wild Foraging

All you need is a book to successfully walk through forests, fields and even cities to find wild edible plants. They may not become your total diet but are an excellent and highly nutritional addition to every meal.

Hunting & Fishing

This is an obvious food alternative, and while many people feel they can easily hunt or fish, there are alternative methods from trapping to nets that are worth knowing.

Food Preservation

Anyone who gardens, wild forages, hunts, or fishes may find they need to preserve any excess food they produce. At a time when refrigeration and freezing may not be an option, these are skills that are necessary to long-term survival.

Off-Grid Cooking

Pioneer methods and some good advice from campers about cooking without conventional convenience.

Upcycling

At a time when everything is in short supply or simply unavailable, it makes sense to upcycle certain items to other or new uses. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of upcycling, you definitely need one of these books in your library.

Clothing

If you can’t sew a shirt from scratch or figure out how to repair shoes and boots, it’s time to get a few of these books on our shelf.

Medical Care

Buy all of them.

Sanitation

When there is no toilet, you’ll need to explore your options. That goes for other things from washing dishes to laundry, and even making soap.

Pioneer Skills

If you’re living without power, running water, central heat and a convenient grocery store, it’s worth tapping into the advice and practices of the people who lived that way for centuries: our pioneer ancestors.

Pets

Pets are part of the family and their health may present issues that require knowledge related to veterinary medicine and nutrition.

Kids

This isn’t about fun and games but kid’s health, education, and nutrition.

Do You Need All of These Books?

Probably not. It gets back to what you know and your skill level across a variety of tasks. Then again, your kids and others may need the knowledge these books provide. If you can think of a book or two that should be on this list, please add it in the comments section below.

In the grand scheme of things books are cheap, but the knowledge they contain are invaluable, especially when every day becomes an exercise in improvisation and survival.

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