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Feeling Nostalgic? The archives > Do you read everything you take out of the library?

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message 1: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments I've had a habit since I was a kid of taking out not just whatever books I intended to borrow, but a handful of spontaneous choices as well. I'll often keep books through the whole borrowing period - and the renewal - and then return them. Sometimes I'll see and borrow the same book again and again before finally reading it.

I'm asking this in part because THREE books that I've been waiting for for months have just arrived at my library, and I'm too busy writing to read much, but I don't want to go to the bottom of the wait list. Not quite the same issue, but it prompted the question.


message 2: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments King Dinösaur wrote: "I don't read the dvds..."

You'd need laser eyes.




message 3: by janine (new)

janine | 7709 comments yes, i read every book i check out of the library, and i finish all of them. it's about the only self-discipline i have.


message 4: by Carol (new)

Carol | 1678 comments I keep telling my coworkers to control my borrowing habits. I have...let me see...38 books checked out right now. I am continually drawn to the new books section. I often find one or two on each cart of books I check in. I keep them out for a long time and it's not getting any better. I do read them eventually. It's kind of a relief when another user requests a book I have checked out. I keep the library books at work to read on break.


message 5: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments i only take two books max from the library at a time as i feel that i might be depriving someone else of the book if i have it sitting at home unused.

i do forget to take books off hold that i wind up getting somewhere else. hope they don't keep them reserved very long. for example, i think the library has the new russell brand book on hold for me and i just got it from a friend for my birthday. i need to say something...


message 6: by Jim (new)

Jim | 6484 comments I have not read every book that I have taken from the library. The last example was "Master and Margarita" that I had to wait the better part of a year to get, and then found myself to busy to read it.


message 7: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments I've had The Windup Girl on my queue for months and months and months and it's on its way to me now but it's NaNoWriMo. And I'm terrified that All Clear will arrive because that's a drop-everything-and-read book for me but it's also gigantic.


message 8: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments This is an excellent question. I'm pretty sure my library, since we're part of a larger county consortium but our own self-contained system, has to pay for items I request from other libraries. That, um, doesn't stop me. I only run into guilt when I order, like, ten books on knitting because I don't know which ones are good and end up putting nine in the return bin before I even leave the library.

I play "reserve shelf math" all the time. They'll hold books for seven days, so if I wait until the last day to pick up a book because I was finishing something else I extend the time to which I have access to said book.


message 9: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments i knew you were the guy


message 10: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments RandomAnthony wrote: "I play "reserve shelf math" all the time. They'll hold books for seven days, so if I wait until the last day to pick up a book because I was finishing something else I extend the time to which I have access to said book. ."

I do that too! I'm actually banking on the fact that The Windup Girl won't arrive before Saturday. My branch is closed for repairs or something next week, so that would mean that it wouldn't be available to me til the following Tuesday (Monday is Veteran's Day), and if I were really lucky, they'd start the countdown from there. That way I could pick it up on the 18th or 19th, and I'd still have it when November ended and I had time for novels again.


message 11: by Kristi (new)

Kristi (kristicasey) I try to but I know there are books that I just couldn't make myself finish. Even with the library allowing 3 renewals through their online system, I just couldn't make myself finish them before they were due.

For the most part though, yes, I try to read them all. I also like RA and Sarah Pi try to time my visits to times when I'll be most able to get through them all.


message 12: by Auntie (new)

Auntie Raye-Raye (fabulousraye) Not always. I get overzealous with taking books out. I end up with too many.


message 13: by Mona (last edited Nov 04, 2010 05:31PM) (new)

Mona Garg (k1721m) | 350 comments Sarah Pi & Carol: I have the same problem. I have at least 25 books checked out right now but I still am drawn to the new books shelf and shelving carts.

And this is in addition to my giveaway wins and library sale purchases.

I just finished and reviewed a FirstReads and was all set to dive into a library book. But today I discovered at my front door a FirstReads that I won back at the end of August and reported "not received" in the middle of October. Apparently it was delivered a couple days ago. So I guess I'll be reading and reviewing that first. And my library book will have to wait.


message 14: by Jan (new)

Jan | 241 comments Usually, because most of the books I get from the library are ones by favorite authors that I have on the reserved list.


message 15: by ms.petra (new)

ms.petra (mspetra) I have my hold list maxed at 30 with a combination of music, DVD, and audio books. I try to listen/read the brand new stuff that I can not renew first. I renew everything once a week just to see if it will extend my time and always go for what is due first. RA, I also play reserve shelf math!


message 16: by Knarik (new)

Knarik I always take more books than is humanly possible to read in 15 days, than I try to renew, and than I have to pay :)


Stacia (the 2010 club) (stacia_r) I have an issue where my library can take either a couple of days or a couple of months to get you a book on hold (your position in the queue means squat), so I tend to reserve a lot for fear of getting nothing in.

It always backfires on me. I have 8 books waiting for me to pick up and still have about 15 checked out.


message 18: by janine (last edited Nov 05, 2010 03:24AM) (new)

janine | 7709 comments reserve shelf math is my favourite kind of math.


message 19: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments Kevin "El Liso Grande" wrote: "i knew you were the guy"

Don't hate the playa, hate the game...


message 20: by Charlotte (new)

Charlotte Creech | 100 comments So, this might be slightly off topic, but I used to borrow 8 or 9 books every time I visited the library and would visit a couple times per month. I worked in libraries to pay my way through college and LOVE libraries in general. Lately, in the area where I live, there have been news reports and rumors that bedbugs are traveling on books into the libraries and spreading the infestation to homes of other borrowers. I'm not a fearmonger by any means, and that's not my intention here, but has anyone else heard about this or had experience with this?


message 21: by Sarah (last edited Nov 05, 2010 10:33AM) (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments Charlotte wrote: "there have been news reports and rumors that bedbugs are traveling on books into the libraries and spreading the infestation to homes of other borrowers."

Ack! I can see that happening, from the stories of how people have had to get rid of everything to get rid of them.
But I don't think you can be any more afraid of that than of getting headlice (or bedbugs) from a movie theater or an airplane or trying on clothes at a store.
If I started thinking about it I'd worry myself miserable.


message 22: by Charlotte (new)

Charlotte Creech | 100 comments I suppose there's no sense in talking myself into agoraphobia.


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments I haven't heard that, but if you're worried, run the book through the dryer, secured in something, like a pillowcase, on high heat. That'll kill any bedbugs that might be there.


message 24: by Lobstergirl, el principe (new)

Lobstergirl | 24780 comments Mod
Charlotte wrote: "So, this might be slightly off topic, but I used to borrow 8 or 9 books every time I visited the library and would visit a couple times per month. I worked in libraries to pay my way through colle..."

Aaargh, that would definitely be enough to keep me away from the library.

I read 95% of what I get from the library. If I just can't get interested in something after 50-100 pages, whether I own it or it's a library book, I'll stop reading.


message 25: by Jan (new)

Jan | 241 comments >>I suppose there's no sense in talking myself into agoraphobia.<<

And/or fear of having guests who may be bringing the loathsome critters into your house. How far do we take this?


message 26: by Charlotte (new)

Charlotte Creech | 100 comments I guess, just like everything else, you deal with it if it happens and it could always be worse, right?

In the meantime, I also like the dryer idea.


message 27: by Pat (last edited Nov 13, 2010 09:33AM) (new)

Pat (patb37) You only need 120 degrees to kill bedbugs. I'm thinking a car in the summer sun with the windows closed gets that hot.

I will try all kinds of library books. I figure there is no charge so if I don't like it, no loss.


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