How good is that Library!

[Martin]

Having avoided Libraries for many years (comes from avoiding them at Uni, as it sort of involved "work"), I have now discovered my local Library and it is fab!

I read 3 books a week - fiction stuff.

I had a phase of getting books from charity shops, reading them, then passing them onto friends or taking them back to the charity shop for them to sell them on.

Often the charity shop does not have the book I want, so I began buying them at the shops.

Still all good, until I saw a program on finance where this lady suggested a library instead of buying books... It did not change what I did, but it must have stuck in my sub-concience...

I then worked it out, I buy 3 books a week from the regular shops - $25 to $30 a pop - which is about $4,000 a year - and I then pass them on, or give them to charity shops (coz I do not like to junk up the house).

So I took a deep breath and tried the Library - yeah, what I thought, they did not have what I want - BUT - when I talked to the lady on the desk - turns out they had all but one of the books I wanted, and they were going to get them when they come back in, or from other libraries in the area

Feeling a bit dumb now, should have tried this library thing out earlier!


So do you buy from retail, buy from charity shops, borrow from friends or are you a library goer?

I have always equated Library goers as "sad losers" - looks like I was the sad loser, paying out over $4,000 a year - while the "happy winners" used the library!!

[~*~Saligal~*~]

I tried the library thing a few years ago - but didn't like the pressure of having a deadline to read the book. I'm a "serial" reader, in that I read maybe three book at a time (not at one time).
I use second hand book stores. I hardly ever buy books new. At the book store I go to it looks like avid readers are into the recycling theory because more often than not a book that I'm looking to read (fiction mostly) is in the store. When I first found the store I brought in some of my old books and I wasn't reading (hoarding) and received a whopping amount of credit - so I haven't had to spend a cent at that store!
How it works is that they work out the price of the book and halve the price to resell it. You can bring back books you've already bought from there and they halve the price you paid for it when they sell it to someone else.

[Icey]

I love libraries, so much so that I had a Saturday job in one as a teenager. It was great!

Good hours, dry and warm and I could take up to 20 items out (staff bonus) including CDs and videos etc without any cost.

Don't use it so much anymore, but still get cook books etc from there before I buy one myself to see if £10-20 is worth it.

[Martin]

I love libraries, so much so that I had a Saturday job in one as a teenager. It was great!

Good hours, dry and warm and I could take up to 20 items out (staff bonus) including CDs and videos etc without any cost.

Don't use it so much anymore, but still get cook books etc from there before I buy one myself to see if £10-20 is worth it.

Well I am a convert, joined 2 days ago, got a book out, finished it already, but already got an e-mail saying one of my requested books is in, so I can go swap books... [I am like a kid with a new toy - simple things please me]

In our local library we can take out up to 20 items (of which up to 10 can be CD's DVD's etc) I even saw 3 copies of "how to jive" on DVD!!! (the Christine Keeble and Simon de Lisle one)

[Little Miss]

Right there with ya! Got into my library about six months ago when I realised I too was buying three books a week and the cost was mounting.

This is where I reveal my inner geekness - did you know that you can order whatever book you like and as long as it is held in one of the county's libraries they will get it in for you AND notify you by email when it's there - now that's service for you!

Another discovery is that I can order box sets of TV series I like to watch, copy them, give the library one's back and then watch them at my leisure (Hmmmm, have I just brought the copyright police down on me now??)

It is also great for my kids as I get sick of reading the same book at bedtime over and over again. By taking them to the library every two weeks it means I only have to tolerate a much loved story for two weeks max - there is only so much Three Little Pigs one can take.

Okay - inner geekness revealed and now going back into hiding.

[Martin]

This is where I reveal my inner geekness - did you know that you can order whatever book you like and as long as it is held in one of the county's libraries they will get it in for you AND notify you by email when it's there - now that's service for you!

Another discovery is that I can order box sets of TV series I like to watch

Not tried the TV series thing yet, but it is a thought

[jeanie]

I go through phases. Love James Pattereson boks so always buy his new pones when they come out in paperback and same with Patricia Cornwell. I usually have 3 -5 books on the go at once so library deadlines are no good, except during the winter when the boss is away I love charity shops for books though and when i get a trashy book for a change it goes back to the charity shop. I like to keep the good books though as i re-read them.

[SnowWhite]

I use the library - but usually in phases. I live a long way from any library so I often found I wasn't getting the books back on time - and I soooo hate to be fined!

Charity shops are good.

But I can't be the only one that loves the feel and smell of a brand new, hard back book???

And if I do indulge myself, and buy a new book - I'm devastated if someone else in the house picks it up and starts to read it before I do... I can't explain why, but it 'spoils' it somehow.

[Mythical]

I love the big library back home. Where i live (I don't know if it's the same everywhere) but if you join one library, you can use any library in the borough, so I just pick and choose depending on the mood I'm in.
The main library is great - it's massive, and really bright and airy and it's just nice to sit and work in there, or read, or play computer games. Then when I get books out from there, but can't be bothered taking them back, I can just take them back to the little one just around the corner!

I also love the library at uni. It's a really nice space, and you can go sit in a private booth, set your stuff up, connect to the wireless and avoid work in total comfort! You're not supposed to eat in there, but I don't think I've been in once without a picnic!

I started to think libraries were a nice place to spend time, but then I went to the main city library near uni - it smells bad, the light is all yellow and nasty and it's really badly set out and full of wierdos.

[Steven666]

I absolutely hate books. With the exception of the "choose your own adventure" books by Steve Jackson & Ian Livingstone, I have never touched them. I wouldn't have time anyways.

Although I will admit, I know all the original Mr Men/Little Miss book pretty much word for word of by heart...

[Little Miss]

Definitely agree with SnowWhite, you just can't have someone else reading your brand new book before you! NPR and I are so sad that when we want to read the same book, i.e the latest Harry Potter or some such (usually childish) read, we have to buy two.

We have this wierd little cupboard in our house which is literally a door frame with the depth of a small shelf behind it. Being unusable for anything else (a wierd design fault) we have shelved it and it is now our 'library' - I confess I like looking at it and admiring the rows of books

I know - I need to get a life!

[Cruella]

Although I will admit, I know all the original Mr Men/Little Miss book pretty much word for word of by heart...

we have shelved it and it is now our 'library' - I confess I like looking at it and admiring the rows of books

Looks like Steven's been hiding away in your 'library'

[FirstMove]

I absolutely hate books. With the exception of the "choose your own adventure" books by Steve Jackson & Ian Livingstone, I have never touched them. I wouldn't have time anyways.

SJ/IL's books were "Fighting Fantasy" books. CYOA was a different, rather inferior, series.

I only learnt to read because of FF books, but since I got bored with those and finished secondary school I haven't read any fiction.

Basically, I've got the attention span of a

[Steven666]

SJ/IL's books were "Fighting Fantasy" books. CYOA was a different, rather inferior, series.

I only learnt to read because of FF books, but since I got bored with those and finished secondary school I haven't read any fiction.

Basically, I've got the attention span of a

It was the SJ/IL ones I liked. Just forgot the name for them. And I remember the CYOA books now. And your right...

The first one being "The Warlock Of Firetop Mountain" was the best one.

[Easily Led]

As this has turned into a bit of a book thread I wonder if anyone has read any Umberto Eco? Someone I love very much gave me his "Foucault's Pendulum" for Christmas and I am really struggling to get through it but feel I ought to. Will it be worth it .....? I almost never give up on books but there are 120 chapters and I'm only on 19 and it feels like penance.

[Little Miss]

As this has turned into a bit of a book thread I wonder if anyone has read any Umberto Eco? Someone I love very much gave me his "Foucault's Pendulum" for Christmas and I am really struggling to get through it but feel I ought to. Will it be worth it .....? I almost never give up on books but there are 120 chapters and I'm only on 19 and it feels like penance.

Not read this particular book so can't comment on whether the struggle is worth it as very occasionally it is but after 19 chapters you ought to have got into it if you were ever going to.

I came to the conlusion some time ago that there are more wonderful books in this world than an individual could possibly read in one lifetime therefore why bother wasting the precious little time we have on books that we don't enjoy? Put the book down and move on - you'll feel so much better when you do!

[Aurion]

As this has turned into a bit of a book thread I wonder if anyone has read any Umberto Eco? Someone I love very much gave me his "Foucault's Pendulum" for Christmas and I am really struggling to get through it but feel I ought to. Will it be worth it .....? I almost never give up on books but there are 120 chapters and I'm only on 19 and it feels like penance.

I struggled with this book the first time I tried to read it, only made it half way before shelving it for a few years. However I did try again last year and really got into it and found my self enjoying it. I think with UE you sometimes have to skim over paragraphs where it reads more like a bibliography (he does like his references!)

With Foucault's Pendulum the story really is about the journey rather than the ending.


If you really want penance try "The Name of the Rose" if you can make it past the first few chapters

[Beowulf]

SJ/IL's books were "Fighting Fantasy" books. CYOA was a different, rather inferior, series.

Should start a forum choose your own adventure..

"The dragon ahead of you is blocking your path.. do you do to the west (Read post 25695) or to the east (Read post 29877)

Speaking of which

[Easily Led]

With Foucault's Pendulum the story really is about the journey rather than the ending.


If you really want penance try "The Name of the Rose" if you can make it past the first few chapters

Thanks for your advice, I am going to carry on at the moment - at least there has been a "murder". If it doesn't improve by chapter 60 then I will give up... possibly (I am a bit of a masochist - I sometimes think that is why I do MJ).

On the library note - what about book exchanging. This was done last year at Southport. I also love the idea of leaving books around for people to find........

[Martin]

I also love the idea of leaving books around for people to find........

I do this at hotels when on holiday...If I finish a book, I put it somewhere in reception.