It can get kind of boring if you always use the same side. Try switching hands for some excitement.
While reading a chess book...

I put it in front, not left or right.
In the diagram in message 7, it's the one in the bottom center.
For those that put it on the side, to minimize head turning and things like that, if you want to deviate which side you put the book on, I say when you are on an odd numbered page, put the book on your left, and an even numbered page, put the book on your right.
That is, UNLESS you are reading a book by TPT Press (basically the Ron Henley books on the Sniper and Dzindzi-Indian), as for some stupid reason, that publisher puts odd numbered pages on the left and even on the right. Only publisher I have ever seen do that, and not just talking chess books here. Never seen it that way in ANY other book!
Do you guys put the book right side of chess board or left side?