25. Read a book from a local library (or borrowed from somewhere)

[Martha]

In case the title is ambiguous, I'm not advocating "borrowing" a book aka stealing one!

As this could be any book, I obviously don't have examples

Discussion prompts
- What did you / will you read for this task? What did you think?
- Was it a book you specifically looked for, or just one you saw in the library and picked up?
- Do you use your local library very much? Why?
- In the UK, a lot of libraries are threatened with closure as people are reading less (too many iPads/iPhones/iBrains...). What other roles do you think they play in the community that could justify their existence?
- If you're non-UK, are libraries common where you live? What role do they play in your community?
- If you borrowed from elsewhere - where did you borrow from?

[Martha]

For this prompt, I read The War on Women, borrowed from my local library. I thought it was freeeeaking outstanding!! It's on a topic I'm very passionate about, but I just thought it was incredibly well-written, and a really effective look at some of the worst issues facing women around the world, without either trivialising or sensationalising them. I'd really recommend it, though would caution that it needs a strong trigger warning for sexual and physical violence.

This is one that I just happened to spot in my library, as I happened to pass their shelf of newly acquired titles and the title immediately grabbed me.

I go through phases with my local library where I'll borrow a load of titles and then won't borrow any for a few months. My library's quite good as it's in the centre of town and has quite a range of titles. It is such a shame that libraries are having to close, particularly as books can be quite expensive to buy new, so it is such an important resource to provide access to books that many can't afford to buy. I think more libraries need to be open as public spaces for people to be able to work in - there's an increasing culture of flexible working, and you see lots of people working in coffee shops - libraries should be there for people to do that. I think that the traditional culture of libraries being quiet spaces can really put people off, so perhaps we need to move away from that but keep quiet areas for people who are looking for a quiet space.