Books are absolutely essential for your survival. What if a mega-disaster were to happen before you have time to learn all the skills you need? You may have learned a lot of skills but maybe not others. Where would you learn those skills? You can't learn everything but you need the education on how to preform certain tasks. That's where a prepper library comes in. You want all types of books in this library and hard cover is always preferred. Get the books on the subjects you are not passionate about or don't want to do. These are things you probably will have no knowledge of and will need information about them. 

Learn about things you have no idea about or no experience in. For example, you may not have combat experience and may need information about small unit tactics. There are many other possibilities here: radio tech., surgical needs, etc. You can help others to learn too. You'll have books to trade or let people borrow. Make sure members of your survival group don't all buy the same books. Have a wide variety. 

When arguing physical vs. digital you may think that physical always rules the day. Digital is a viable option. You can have the digital data backed up and protected. Plus you can carry thousands of books without incurring additional weight. Remember that you will need a crank or solar charger. 

There are many societal implications to having books. Knowledge is power. This knowledge can make your community a wealth of information that can easily solve problems. Books educate and population can be controlled through the withholding of education, robbing the population of their future. People would want to keep others ignorant for a variety of reasons: to keep them following the majority or to keep them in a manual labor position. Education of the population is essential for birth control by providing women with other options. 

Here are five books Ray recommends all preppers should have, especially those thinking of a future for their children.

• Aesop's fables - teaches morals and ethics

• Aristotle for Everybody - teaches how to think more clearly

• How to Think Like a Scientist - teaches how to answer your questions

• The Boy Scout Handbook 12th Edition - teaches wilderness survival

• The Organon - not an easy read but it teaches logic

These five books are available at The Survival Fact & Fiction Book Club.  These books will teach your children to learn so they can think and solve problems. 

Five "How To" books preppers should have:

• The Prepper's Guide to Surviving the End of the World as we Know It

• Complete Guide to Saving Seeds

• Lyman's 43rd Edition Reloading Guide

• Home Butchering and Meat Preservation

• Encyclopedia of Country Living

These books are also listed at The Survival Fact & Fiction Book Club. 

Books don't only provide information. They can provide entertainment and be major morale boosters. Story sharing time will bring up moods. You will probably want to have books of lighter content than apocalyptic novels. Epic stories like The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit. Detective stories like those of Robert Crais and Michael Connelly will divert the minds of those experiencing the story. Science fiction is another option that can allow the dreamers to dream of world much better than the one they may be facing.

Depression in a high stress environment can't be overlooked. This depression can be completely debilitating and boosting morale will be essential. Books can combat this depression. You need someone who can tell funny stories, read to the group, open up communication within the group and inform everyone of what is going on. Minor problems can erode group cohesion and destroy communities. 

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