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Do you use your library?
Is it normal for library to cost anything - or was that just the discs? (Know dk and norway are 100% free unless you forget to deliver the books intime)
I read most books on my Kindle since I prefer books in English than in my own language. But I do use the library alot for books written in my own language.
Some libraries in Britain charge for orders, CDs,DVDs. Other counties within Britain don't. It's according to how they decide to spend money given to them. Ours charges for above. I wouldn't mind paying a yearly fee as I love it so much but I would never tell our govt as they would. In principle all libraries ought to be free. Not everyone can afford to pay a fee and reading is one of best ways to improve your life. What about other countries?
Same here in Kent Pat. 35p to reserve an item, £1.00 per week for an audio book and up to £2.50 for a DVD. The best thing about our library system is that you can suggest an item for them to purchase and only pay 35p and be the first to borrow it! Cannot complain about that. The 35p reservation charge can get you a book from a library from the other side of the county. And all this can be done via the internet - I spend ages browsing the library catalogues and with a couple of clicks reserve a book to be delivered to a library of my choice for collection, for 35p!Nothing but praise for Kent's library service.
However, I do have a compulsion to borrow lots of books (many I never get around to reading) because I once read that the funding for the library is dependent upon the number of books borrowed. So I am determined to "do my bit" by checking out as many books as I can carry!
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Gail wrote: "Same here in Kent Pat. 35p to reserve an item, £1.00 per week for an audio book and up to £2.50 for a DVD. The best thing about our library system is that you can suggest an item for them to purcha..."Good point Gail. Never knew that and what a good excuse to get lots. East Sussex is great too, although new books which are not one of the "popular" books can take a while to enter the system. I don't actually know if one could suggest purchases, I'll ask, that sounds great. We pay 60p for a reservation for anything and then £1.30 for audiobooks and more for DVDs, don't really know. Personally, I also wouldn't mind paying some sort of annual fee but I again would not want the Government to know as I agree they would privatise the libraries like a shot. However, I really would not want everybody to have to pay (i.e. more voluntarily) as when I worked for schools the only way some children would get to have books was through the library and there are some parents, who either couldn't or wouldn't pay, I'm sure. In may eyes that would be criminal. We used to have a library bus coming to all primary schools, but that has been cut as schools now have to pay for it and as school budgets are cut so severely, this is one of the things which they feel is expendable. I used to have a deal with the library that they would let me have a look at those books which they were taking out of circulation to buy for 5p each for the school, as again we tried to provide as many books as possible for reach class. Some parents cant' or can't be bothered to take their children to the library, so a 1000 guesses why they have trouble learning to read or aren't becoming readers. It's very frustrating, but there it is. Personally, I miss going with my children to the library, although as they are now teenagers, they go sometimes by themselves, alas.
My London Borough charges £1 to reserve a book and be notified by email, or £1.50 to be notified by post. I tend to just check the online catalogue to see when books I want are available in my nearest branch, but I think I'm going to have to reserve the Susan Hill book for the dusty shelf challenge as the only copies are in libraries some way away from me.I've used my library much more since joining Goodreads last year! The only downside is the overdue charges can mount up very quickly so I have to keep remembering to check my account online and renew books if necessary. We can only renew three times before the books have to be returned.
That's interesting that the number of books borrowed determines the funding the library receives. My nearest branch which is quite large offers lots of other services in addition to lending books, but the council is currently considering changing to a (I think) Swedish model in which the library is open but unstaffed for longer hours, and members can collect/return books without the need for staff there. Which is fine for people simply using the library to borrow books, but could impact on those who need to access all the other services such as computers, access to internet, study space etc.
Cathy can you sign up to receive e mails about books coming up for renewal? I get an e mail reminder about a week before the books are due to be renewed and then renew via the internet. We too can only renew three times before the book has to be taken into the library, but, if no one else is waiting for it the librarian can renew it to your account again.
Libraries are free in Finland, too, reservations and remote loans do cost extra but it's not much. You can also suggest new purchases and I think that would cost the same as when reserving. There are also VIP loans for new and popular books that you can borrow for a week. Librarians go to schools every now and then to show and recommend books to read and there are "reading diplomas" for every class. They are voluntary, though. Of course it's important that parents take their children to the libraries but in general kids learn to do it by themselves soon after they start school. If they feel like it, of course. I think many go to libraries to spend some time after school before going home.
Gail wrote: "Cathy can you sign up to receive e mails about books coming up for renewal? I get an e mail reminder about a week before the books are due to be renewed and then renew via the internet. We too can..."Gail, that's a good idea. I can't find anything about email alerts on the libary's webpages, but I'll ask next time I'm there.
Cornwall? We pay more to reserve books. Lots from another county (something like £3.50 last time I looked). But audio books (2 sites) plus some digital magazines are free.
I'm not sure it will ever be "my" library but Helsinki will get its first major city-centre library. It will also have a sauna, of course.http://yle.fi/uutiset/state-of-the-ar...
I live in Texas in the US and I had no idea that some libraries charge just to reserve a book. We have free reservations, email alerts, ebooks, audiobooks and magazines. The only fees are for late returns on physical books or borrowing a book from another city's library system. Of course our libraries have budget cuts often, so it wouldn't be surprising if many other fees are implemented at some point.
I think of it as more of a nominal fee. When it comes to more popular books there are so many people waiting for it (like dozens or even hundreds) so it kind of keeps people from reserving it "just for the fun" and then not borrowing it. Actually in many smaller places it's free, it must be easier there.
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The most recent prize winner (chosen in December) has 566 reservations at the moment, 309 of those in "my" library, and it has been borrowed 140 times this year already... The winner of the previous year is available almost everywhere else but in "mine", in the main city library. So yeah, maybe the small fee is understandable.For one of the nominees, the one I am most interested in, the numbers are 184 (117) reservations and 213 loans. Hmm... maybe I'll wait for a while, I'm not in a hurry.
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After 4 months of waiting - I am now down to number 344 on a book;o And the library have 52 copies orso ><
Hah, I thought it must be something like that, though my first guess would have been Jo Nesbø. I just saw some Swedish movie based on one of those books I think, I've never read them though. I'm not that interested in Scandi Crime (or Nordic for that matter). Also I wouldn't have known it but then I heard someone speaking with a Finnish accent among the riksvenska characters. :D I remember being surprised by the main character's name when I first heard it. Hopefully he is more realistic than inspector Pekkala in Eye of the Red Tsar series.
I always buy Jo Nesbø as I want to read them in norwegain, and that can be a tad hard to find here in Denmark;o The first 3 in the series was fine, wasn't that big of a fan of the 4th.. We will see how thisone will be (when I eventually get the book, that is)
YES, yes, yes, I am like a kid in a candy store, when I go to my local library..... love to get lost in there, & I sure do. If they do not have a book I want, the will get it for me from another library in the country. I am in Union, NJ, and I have gotten books from Maine & Arizona, great to know, your library will do that for you
We do have a fabulous work library. It's part of Devon county library but based at the hospital. The library staff are best I have ever known. They will literature search for you if need be, order books, offer suggestions- if you ask and research for different books if you want. All for nothing. Actually no fee for stuff there thinking about it. They have even ordered books from British library for me. It costs them £35. I only ask if need something that can't be got else where. Thank you excellent library. Wish I could nominate them for some award.
I'm also in Texas--fairly small town--so our library isn't the best stocked, but we do have the ability to check out ebooks and do library share. The late fine is still only 25 cents per day, and everyone goes out of their way to help you with anything you might need.
Just been into my local library and saw a big sign saying that from 1st April they are scrapping the reservation fee! It was only 35p so never begrudged paying it but wonder if other charges will now be raised to cover the loss?
Is it a small library? I would think they are mainly used to make sure that people don't reserve many books simply on of whim because there are many who would actually want to read them.
I think it covers the whole county as they are controlled by the local authority.
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We have a new library in the small East Sussex town where i live and im thrilled with it - lots of new books and its nice and quiet! ( i much prefer it to the bigger, bustling new one in the next town, which seems more focused on selling coffee and renting out DVDS.)
Joy wrote: "We have a new library in the small East Sussex town where i live and im thrilled with it - lots of new books and its nice and quiet! ( i much prefer it to the bigger, bustling new one in the next t..."Joy, that wouldn't be Seasford or Newhaven by any chance? I live in Seaford and we have a BRILLIANT new library, which is my oasis to come to within the constraints of a busy working life and family. The staff are very helpful and nice, especially to children.
Ha ha! Good guess Gisela. I love Newhaven's new library and very pleased you're as delighted by Seaford's. I went to Seaford's opening last summer and was really put off by children racing around shouting and staff being too busy dealing with DVDS to answer book queries.But of course, you're quite right that libraries need to appeal to all ages and, much as it's lovely for me, its not good that im often the only person there.
I've just decided to start using my libraries again. I'm lucky enough to have two equidistant to where I live, one of which is right next door to the tube station I use going to/from work so I just got a new library card on Tuesday and plan to use it once I've got through my current books. I love the fact that (in London at least) you can now search the library catalogue online. Will hopefully save a lot of disappointment! I'm also going to sign up to Westminster libraries as I just realised that Marylebone library is round the corner from my office. Last time I used the library (as a teenager), you could only sign up to the local one, but I can now sign up to any and all libraries in London. Hurrah!
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Paul wrote: "Glad to hear it Sophie. A library give you a chance to take a risk on a book. If you love it it is great. If you don't return it and find another."Precisely, Paul. It gets expensive buying books all the time and it's particularly irritating when you spend money on a book to find that it's crushingly disappointing! I rarely re-read books so I feel the library is probably the way to go.
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Sophie, I think it's great you've started using your library again. I did the same last year and it has completely changed how I read or buy my books. I reserve all my books online, to a local branch which means I don't even need to go into town. The only downside is that I often over estimate how many books I can read at once and have the maximum amount checked out all the time! I used to buy all my books, now it's a rarity and makes those I receive as gifts extra special.
I've yet to use my new library card as have quite a few books to read at the moment at home but from doing a preliminary search online it seems many of the books I want to read are either not stocked or are long overdue by someone else (aargh the frustration!)
That can be a problem, but I've been quite lucky in finding most books I want stocked. I find that I have to be specific in the title, or the search engine doesn't find the book and I also look at every available edition, to see which are actually on a shelf and which are missing. I also have lots of books reserved at any one time, as I don't know when they will become available to my branch, due to waiting lists etc. It's not so good if I want a specific book on a specific day, but I like the surprise of seeing which books becomes available each week. I hope you have better luck with the system, if you do still get stuck tracking down books, I'd recommend talking to a librarian in a branch, as sometimes they can order books that aren't available online.
It's interesting to hear that some of you have been buying (almost) all of your books. I myself have always thought that no bother buying, I can always get it from the library. Also most of the books I have read or want to read are older books and they wouldn't be that easy to find anyway.
I agree Tytti. I was taken to library as a child by Mother. We had a book bought as a present for Xmas etc. only. I have started buying second hand books now we have a tad more money, children having left home. I still prefer the library though.
When I started school the library was in a building in the middle of the school "campus", we passed it on our way to lunch or PE, so I was borrowing books as soon as I learned to read (first grade spring). I had gotten my library card when I was 5, I had written my first name in stick letters on it. For a long time I didn't buy any books, but then I found all those cheap paperbacks. They are of course better when I want to travel with them or read at the beach or something. I also like the idea of giving random good books to friends as presents for no reason. Not that I have actually done it really (except for some that I "gave" to BookCrossing), I have to read them myself first.
I almost entirely stopped buying books many years ago after moving too many times with boxes of books. So the library has been a must for me over the years. I don't use it nearly as much now that I read ebooks, but I still check out paper books occasionally. I use the digital library quite a bit, especially for audio books.
I work at my local library, so yes, I use it all the time. :) I can't help but take a peek at any returning items that catch my eye, and this usually results in me checking out a book or two.
Went to my library yesterday, and in the quiet non-fiction section upstairs there were lots of signs saying that seating in the area had been removed due to repeated thefts. Sad indeed.
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The Book Vipers
Books mentioned in this topic
Rising Ground: A Search for the Spirit of Place (other topics)Buckle and Squash and the Land of the Giants (other topics)
Eye of the Red Tsar (other topics)
Stalker (other topics)
The Goldfinch (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jo Nesbø (other topics)Simon Winder (other topics)
Wilma Johnson (other topics)
Rachael Chadwick (other topics)
Mark Mann (other topics)
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Nice story Gisela!