Recommendations on old country red paint color?😊

The other half of your question cut off, so I'm not sure if you just want to paint your white bookshelf red or if you're aiming for a special effect, like crackle paint to age it or a two-tone distressed finish. But you can definitely paint a bookcase. If you just want simple uniform coverage you can even use spray paint. Rustoleum's Colonial Red is probably in the color range you're looking for.

I painted the sides and back of my kitchen islands. I painted headboard that was cut to size. I picked a true red for the base color. The next day I mixed together a small can of brown stain, with just a little glazing additive--maybe a couple of tablespoons to 4 oz of stain. Take a cheap wide brush and dip into your stain mix. Paint one area with your stain mix, let it set for a minute maybe. Then take an old cotton tshirt and lightly wipe with the direction of your headboard. It may take 2-3 coats to get to the glaze/antique look that you want. Give your stain mix 24 hours to dry between coats. Then finish with poly urethane. After each coat of poly, lightly sand with extra-fine steel wool. I gave my islands 3 coats of poly.