Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
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Library Hold List Blues
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I know at my library you can suspend holds but if they release both on same day it's kind of too late! But if you know you are close on both could suspend one while you plow thru the other also not sure if you do so audio or digital but there are ways to save books longer if they aren't on a device that's hooked up to internet.
I was having the same problem for a long time, especially on audiobooks! I now suspend almost all books I put on hold and then stagger the expiration date of the suspension, giving myself at least a week before a book is in my "active" hold list. I have had times thougth were I didn't read a book fast enough. That's when I use the progress update on Goodreads and then return the book and submit another hold. My library will actually let me place a hold on a book even if I already have it checked out. That can usually cut down a couple days or even weeks of waiting!
I put most of my books for the year on my hold list, and then suspend all the holds until I'm ready for them. Then, I release a few holds at a time so I get a decent mix of books. I haven't read either of the books you're asking about, so I can't really help with that. I guess the question is how long do you think you would need to read both books? Is there any possibility of finishing them both?
My library recently changed over to Cloud library (for ebooks) and I can't seem to find a way to suspend holds like I did with the Overdrive system. That is disappointing. :-(
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I was really frustrated when I saw the hold length for It. It had been immediately available for a very long time but the movie gave me the extra push to read it. Then I saw the hold length. I'll just have to borrow my mom's paper copy the next time I visit.
Kelly wrote: "I know at my library you can suspend holds but if they release both on same day it's kind of too late! But if you know you are close on both could suspend one while you plow thru the other also not..."I've looked at the interface on my library hold system. I can't figure out a way to suspend holds, at least on physical books. :(
I did know the e-book trick of shutting of the wifi access to keep the borrowed material on the device longer.
Rachel wrote: "I put most of my books for the year on my hold list, and then suspend all the holds until I'm ready for them. Then, I release a few holds at a time so I get a decent mix of books. I haven't read ..."
I'm not sure how long. I would guess maybe two weeks each on my current reading pace. It doesn't help that I'm in the middle of two books currently.
Taylor wrote: "I was having the same problem for a long time, especially on audiobooks! I now suspend almost all books I put on hold and then stagger the expiration date of the suspension, giving myself at least ..."
I can double up on holds when I have one out! So, I think that's what I'm going to do!
Laura wrote: "I honestly download the books and then put my Kindle on airplane mode. It prevents them from being returned until I go back off airplane mode. Which probably isn't the most ethical thing but as far..."maybe not ethical, but absolutely brilliant!!!! Do you get late fees for doing that? I'm on my 3rd renewal and i haven't even started it yet :/
I used to do the airplane mode thing with the old system too. If I didn't read the book in 14 days, I still had time to get to it if I didn't turn the WiFi on. The new system has 21 day releases though. I feel bad holding the book for 21 days and not reading it when someone else could be enjoying it. Two weeks was ok in my head, three weeks seems.....selfish? :-/
Tracy wrote: "Laura wrote: "I honestly download the books and then put my Kindle on airplane mode. It prevents them from being returned until I go back off airplane mode. Which probably isn't the most ethical th..."At the library where I work, there aren't any late fees for ebooks :) Not sure if this is true for most libraries though.
Laura wrote: "I honestly download the books and then put my Kindle on airplane mode. It prevents them from being returned until I go back off airplane mode. Which probably isn't the most ethical thing but as far..."I think it's a bit different with ebooks, since there's really no reason the title can't move on to the next person. I don't use them myself, so I wouldn't know.
I was actually going to suggest something a bit unethical myself yesterday, but was hesitant to say it. But if I'm only going to be a day or two past the due date, I've considered holding onto the book so I can finish it. At my library, it's something like 25 cents per day, up to a max of a few dollars, so the consequence is not too high. I don't think I've ever had to actually do it, but there's definitely been times where it came close. I'm super hesitant to do it though, since I know how much I hate it when others are late to give back the books that I'm waiting for.
My library makes about a zillion dollars a year off the books I take out for my daughters. Feels that way .... For myself I stick to Overdrive .Don't know if I should feel really bad about it or pat myself on the back for supporting my local institution :-/
Rachel wrote: "Laura wrote: "I honestly download the books and then put my Kindle on airplane mode. It prevents them from being returned until I go back off airplane mode. Which probably isn't the most ethical th..."I think the main issue with e-books isn't the capability of another person receiving a copy but rather it has to do with licensing. The library only has a limited number of licenses that they can use to allow a certain number of people access to the book at one time. If the publisher wanted to make a stink about things they could crack down on libraries allowing access to more people than the licenses they have allow for.
As for keeping books past the deadline, I agree, it feels wrong doing it. However, the last time I had a book come due before I was finished it, I couldn't renew it because of other holds. I brought it back and asked the librarian to put me back on the hold list right away. She put me back on the hold list but then actually recommended that in the future I just keep it until I'm finished with it before returning if it happened again. I was pretty surprised at her advice!
No I get that. I was so close to finishing a book a few weeks ago and I held onto for a few days to the tune of $1.50, but I did feel kind of icky about it.
Peter wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Laura wrote: "I honestly download the books and then put my Kindle on airplane mode. It prevents them from being returned until I go back off airplane mode. Which probably isn't the ..."I'm surprised they advised that too! On the one hand, my mom works for a public library (but is not a librarian), and she told me that the consequence was so minimal that it might be better to just do that.
On the other hand, I've been waiting for a copy of Lies We Tell Ourselves for nearly two months now because the library says it hasn't been returned yet, despite the due date in early February. So I can definitely see the other side as well. If we could keep the books as long as we wanted until we were done, there would be no point in them giving a due date at all.
Rachel wrote: "Peter wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Laura wrote: "I honestly download the books and then put my Kindle on airplane mode. It prevents them from being returned until I go back off airplane mode. Which proba..."She suggested to keep it over the due date, but did specify for a couple of days only. I think going 2 months over the due date would probably be a stretch of what she meant, lol.
Hopefully your book gets returned soon!
Peter wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Peter wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Laura wrote: "I honestly download the books and then put my Kindle on airplane mode. It prevents them from being returned until I go back off airplane mo..."Actually, they've put a new copy on order for me because they assumed the other one must be lost. Hopefully that one actually shows up.
Not my library, but the next closest one posted last week about a bunch of their books that had been returned after being found in a dumpster over 1500 miles away! Here is the story and pics from facebook:Waterville Public Library Surprise
I live in a county with a small population so the neighboring county let's us join their library as well. When I really want to read a book I use Overdrive for the two different accounts and I try also now to put the actual book on hold at both places. I have found that at my county's library since it is small, often the popular physical book will be there. I prefer borrowing ebooks but if I really want to read it I'll get whatever I can get. Dark Matter, Carve the Mark and The Girls all have long ebook holds but I found the physical book at the small library with no hold. I'm starting to think I'm the only one that reads in my county (or at least uses the library).
My library limits me to only 8 holds at a time and some take months... so annoying! Today I tried to add "13 reasons Why" after hearing all the buzz about the Netflix show and they put me as 194th person on the list! WTH!!! That will take 9months or more!
Kelly wrote: "My library limits me to only 8 holds at a time and some take months... so annoying! Today I tried to add "13 reasons Why" after hearing all the buzz about the Netflix show and they put me as 194th ..."Holy Crap thats a long hold!! LOL. My longest is #74 on Commonwealth, and then #56 on Lilac Girls.
I read 13RW a few years back. It was OK. I'm trying to watch it right now, been marathoning all day because our towns school board sent out an email due to content with all kinds of resources and links. I keep falling asleep though :-(
Tracy wrote: "Kelly wrote: "My library limits me to only 8 holds at a time and some take months... so annoying! Today I tried to add "13 reasons Why" after hearing all the buzz about the Netflix show and they pu..."Yea, I know 194 is a my new record I think!! They have 8 copies but that's still kind of crazy! But I don't think I am gonna waste one of my 8 spots on it! lol I have Commonwealth on hold too I am #24.... but I have been on hold since FEB!!! oy vey!
"Tracy wrote: "Kelly wrote: "My library limits me to only 8 holds at a time and some take months... so annoying! Today I tried to add "13 reasons Why" after hearing all the buzz about the Netflix sh..."Commonwealth was amazing and definitely worth the wait. I think it too me close to three months to get it on e-book.
Peter wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Laura wrote: "I honestly download the books and then put my Kindle on airplane mode. It prevents them from being returned until I go back off airplane mode. Which probably isn't the ..."Speaking of surprising replies from librarians, a few months ago I somehow managed to damage The Tenant of Wildfell Hall I had checked out. (I still have no idea how it got damaged.) As a librarian's daughter, my heart was filled with shame. I went into the local library to confess my crime and pay for the book, and the librarian was like, "Welp, looks like we've had this book for a while and it's had a good life. Don't worry about it."
I was like...but...I broke a library book. You're not going to behead me or at least charge me a gazillion dollars? I don't understand???
Sorry this is a little off topic re holds. I just still can't believe it!
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Personally I would read A Little Life first. If you have to turn in one of them even unopened and go back on the hold list, IT is probably the better of the two. As people cave and just go see the movie without reading the book (or just lose interest), the hold line will drop off.
The Underground Railroad is at 346 days on my hold list. I think I will be buying it at the used book store when it comes in. I guarantee they will have it for under $6 LONG before it becomes available at the library. :-(
Lincoln in the Bardo is another one with a long hold time....369 days. I already told hubby that I am getting that one very soon, no matter what the price!
Our library allows you to put holds on books as soon as they are listed in the system as "On Order," (usually about a month out) which is really cool. Currently I'm on hold for The Lying Game, which doesn't come out until the end of July. The library system is ordering 50 copies, and I'm number 43 (of 71 so far), so I should be able to pick it up the day or day after it is released. Every week or so I look through the "Coming Attractions" page to see if anything grabs my attention so I can put a hold on it before it becomes outrageous. Currently, James Patterson's new book Murder Games has 343 holds, but the system is ordering 110 copies, so that one actually might not take that long. I feel like at my library I wait longer for older books that they only have a few copies of instead of the new releases.
My library online system is currently down while they switch over to a different computer system, so I'm hoping they don't lost any of my requests in the process.What's frustrating about my library is when you ask them to purchase a book, they list it as "on-order" when they decided to buy it, but never really give updates on the status. It just suddenly shows up as available to be picked up. Sometimes, if we're lucky, we get a "received in" status to show that they bought it and it's actually arrived, but not necessarily for you yet. It's irritating when I'm counting on a book for a challenge prompt but can't get an idea of when it will be available.
Oh that is weird. My library will let you recommend books for purchase but there are no guarantees they will do it but you have the option to automatically be placed on hold list or just notified via email if they buy it. We can only have 8 books on hold at a time so my hold list is always clogged full!!
I read Red Rising at the beginning of the year and loved it, so it was a easy go to my library digital website when two people motivated me to finish the series at once. What was my surprise when I saw that they (Auckland Libraries in New Zealand) didn't have book 2 (Golden Son) or book 3 (Morning Star) on ebook in English... but they had them in German!!! Like... what??? And then I discovered you can recommend that your library buys new ebooks through the Overdrive system, but the Red Rising trilogy wasn't in the list... except in German. What???
Lol Sophie!! That's bizarre ... I had no idea NZ had such a large German community. ;)
I'm pretty lucky with library holds. I live in a big county by size but not by people so I feel that I can get a lot of popular books quickly. They don't always have all of them and the next county over allows you to have a library card as well so that helps. I also have two accounts with overdrive through them. It seems like not many in my county read! Or at least don't use the library. I have to drive through both counties to get to work so it's not a problem to pick up the physical books when they are ready. I didn't know about the reciprocal agreement between the libraries until last year. When I do have to put books on hold they all seem to come in at once though!
Katie wrote: "Maybe you ought to learn German?"Being Swiss I did learn German, but not enough to be able to read a whole book. Plus I avoid translations. Plus I can't imagine the headaches of reading a whole book in German haha (yes, I'm looking for excuses lol).
Jody wrote: "Lol Sophie!! That's bizarre ... I had no idea NZ had such a large German community. ;)"
The funny thing is that I don't think there is such a big German community here! Maybe there was one a crazy German librarian who order books they wanted to read in their first language haha
With 25 pages left in a great story today, my tablet glitched, returning my book to the library. I am now on hold to get it again, in 52 days. :'(
Oh my gosh that terrible!!! I think u need to go to Barnes and noble and read the end of that book!!
Kelly wrote: "Oh my gosh that terrible!!! I think u need to go to Barnes and noble and read the end of that book!!"That is an amazing idea! My local bookstore is used to me lurking about for hours, they would never notice me devouring the last 25 pages of a particular book! :-)
Jody wrote: "Oh no! Amy! What book was it?"It was Lincoln in the Bardo, which is confusing as HECK through most of the middle but the author had JUST tied it all together, the lightbulb turned on, the world made sense again. I literally uttered "OH I GET IT!" and hurried to turn the page because I was DYING to know more and beep.....it was gone. I am still so upset about it. :-(
That sounds like the sort of thing that would happen to me! I was hoping it might have been a book I had so I could help you, but I've never even heard of that one. :( Hope your local has it so that you can finish it soon!
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Laura wrote: "Oh no! This has happened to me a few times. Sometimes I have held out and waited for the hold but then the magic is gone and I'm not as into the book. You could also try signing up for free trials ..."Jody wrote: "That sounds like the sort of thing that would happen to me! I was hoping it might have been a book I had so I could help you, but I've never even heard of that one. :( Hope your local has it so tha..."
Aw thanks Jody. That was nice of you to try!
Laura: I might try Oyster and Scribd to see if they have them. If not I will be sitting my butt down in the middle of the bookstore and not moving until I get those last few pages read! lol
I have a hold on that book right now!! Good luck!!b
And one time it happened to me the iPod I was listening on went thru the washer!! I tried going back to nook was only 1/2 I couldn't get into it!
Joan wrote: "I live in a county with a small population so the neighboring county let's us join their library as well. When I really want to read a book I use Overdrive for the two different accounts and I try ..."I do the same thing with Overdrive. I have a library card in the city I live in and one that's just north of us, which is like a suburb. I put in a request at both and wait to see which comes in first.
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Red Rising (other topics)Golden Son (other topics)
Morning Star (other topics)
The Lying Game (other topics)
Murder Games (other topics)
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I made this topic to rant and maybe for advice. I live in Philadelphia and lately the library hold system has been taking forever to fill my requests and when it does things like this happen:
I requested A Little Life in February and It in early March. They both came in yesterday.. on the same day. I was plopped 1,700 + pages on the same day. Neither is renewable and I have two weeks to read both. A Little Life is on my list, It is not, but I want to read It before the movie.
I guess I wanted to know from anyone who read both which is better and/or which is easier to put down and pick up later (if I have to wait another 2+ months for it come around again).