Just curious. Does anyone use their local library?

[Amber]

I buy all my books online (amazon typically) because i cannot find the books I like or that are part of the series that I am reading in libraries. I just run into a dead end very quickly with any library I go use. Lol

[Fallon]

I love to own the books I read but sometimes my library just don't have the books that I want to read so I usually just buy them then I can just read them however many times that I want!!! :)

[Tarin]

hi everyone, i dont really use the library were im from its a really small town with an even smaller book selection lol

[Lisa ~ Books Are My Drugs ~]

In the past few years, my book budget has been nil, so I've been a huge library junkie. I've discovered that the local library is linked to the Cleveland area libraries & that I can request my books online.

And if I really want to keep a book, I request it from www.bookmooch.com

[Jenny]

I would really love to use our library, but unforunately they don't seemed to have discovered half of the authors I have. I would say over 70% of the authors I've search for either in print books or ebooks they don't have them in either format. Or they have some of a series, but not the one I'm looking for. I would have thought it'd be better but more than anything it's just frustrating. So I have to stick with buying most of what I want either as ebooks or paperbacks. Thank God for coupons and discounts even still I have to really be sure that I want the book as a paper back or would I rather get as an ebook. Not that ebooks are always cheaper which seems strange to me but that is totally different topic.
I even take to checking out our local used book store but they never seem to have what I'm looking for either, it always regular fiction or romance but not PNR or UF, I know that I'm not not the only one here who reads this genres. I guess they're like me and keep the ones they really like and get rid of the rest.

[Dee]

@ Lisa - I like bookmooch..I was using PBS on and off, but never seemed to be getting stuff on my wishlist - i've had bookmooch for a few weeks and already had several books pop that I wanted

[Anika]

I never went to the library for books to read I asked the opinion of the sales clerk at the bookstore and went on to the borders website to find books that I might be interested in but this before Goodreads and my kindle/Amazon.

[[deleted user]]

Danielle wrote: "I keep seeing posts on different threads where many of you mention how much you spend on books. I have seen at least one discussion on borrowing ebooks from a local library. I haven't noticed any..."

My local library has a decent collection of PNR & UF. Could be alot better. I still visit at least once a week-I still enjoy holding a book in my hands, smelling the pages (when it's a new one) and I still get excited when a book I requested comes in...I know I'm geeky :)

[Rachael]

yes

[Angela~twistedmind~]

Tarin wrote: "hi everyone, i dont really use the library were im from its a really small town with an even smaller book selection lol"

Me, too. My small town library has a very limited selection in all my favorite genres. And they never have an entire series. Tell me, what is the point of having the first, 6th, and 9th book in the series? I'm anal about reading series' in order and won't even start one until I know I can get my hands on each book. I drive the librarians crazy with all my intra-library loan requests. You'd think they'd get the hint and complete the series' they have. I usually buy my books at peddlers' malls, goodwill & fleamarkets. And they're always in excellent shape. When I walk out the door with 10 hardbacks that I have paid $25 for, I feel like the most thrifty shopper ever and I'm estatic about all my new treasures.

[Ashley]

I just came from my library. I had a book on hold that I wanted for a challenge.

I use the library, ARCs from the store I work at, NetGalley, Amazon (but only if the books are less than $3.00. I just can't spend more than that when I don't get a real book), I have a friend that reads PNR and we swap books, and when all else fails I buy from Abebooks.com.

[Latasha]

I always use my library first, the librarians know me there TOO WELL. I will leave the place with 20 books and they just laugh at me. We have a great library district where I live in CO, I donate to them every year because they save me literally thousands of dollars in books.

[Lisa ~ Books Are My Drugs ~]

@ Dee: I used to use PBS as well, but I switched to BM because I like that we get points for posting & sending the books. Even though I don't get books from out-of-country, I like that it's international too. :)

[Erin]

I use the library for both physical and ebooks all the time. The ebooks, I have to admit, are much more convenient now that I have an ebook reader, but I still check out a lot of actual library books and audiobooks on CD. My library has a pretty good selection of PNR/UF actually, though the waiting list is pretty slow. I was never be able to read as many books as I do without the library, it would just be way too expensive.

[Crazy4more]

I ONLY use my library! it takes longer if the books are popular but I have plenty to read until it's my turn to get the books.

[Danielle]

I am so glad I am not alone here. I live in Chicago and can request a book from anywhere in the system. I do not have access to any of the suburban libraries but the Chicago system is big enough where I can usually get anything I want. But I always have to wait. The branch located closest to my house is very small and unfortunately very poorly managed. I don't think I could have ever used the library before the online hold system. It's not perfect but it is still great! The library always has all the books in a series but I have noticed that when a new book comes out there is usually one copy at each branch (there are over 80) but when I go back to start an older series there are usually only 3 copies. One or two downtown at the big library and one or two at the Thurgood Marahall Branch (which is no where near where I live). I'd like to think the branch manager there is an awesome librarian who has a love for PNR & UF. But the thrift is I'll probably never know why so many PNR books are stored there.

[Jeni]

I still use the library for books that I am unsure of to purchase or if they are regular price. I also use their digital book site too and I save money too lol =)

[Eileen]

When I find out about a new book/series I want to read I immediately go to my library's website to see if they have it. It's usually faster for me to get the paperbook than to wait for the library ebook copy to become available so I usually go for paper.

If the library doesn't have it, then I got to the ebookstore/real book store.

If an ebook costs as much as a paperback, then I buy the paperback from my local bookstore; if the ebook's cheapest then I go with that. Meanwhile I feel thrifty and like I'm supporting my local economy :)

[Wan]

Another good thing about local libraries -- they have donated (used) books for sales. It was like really cheap, $.25 for a paperback and $1 for a hardback. I go there every week to check out the ever changing selections. I picked up h/c the other day. Sweeeetttt.

[Melissa]

Between getting books for me and my kids, we are at the library a few times a week. Its aggravating to spend money on a book and not like it. I try to check newer authors or the not my normal kind of books out from the library to avoid being aggravated.
And I like to read outside my normal type of books to see what is out there that I may like, so I always check out at least one book that isn't what I usually read.

[Missyb]

my Mom is a library addict (many of the ladies know her by name). I go occasionally. We've tried looking at the e-book selection, but that is kind of lacking. I'm hoping once we get our library cards for the NY City library it'll have more e-books available. I live upstate (way upstate near the lake between Buffalo & Syracuse) but the NY City library is for anyone in the state, for e-books.

[Tori]

i go to library instead of buying books, no point in wasting the money unless its one of ur favs. one prob with the "old fashioned way" is that sometimes you have to wait a month or longer to get a certain book.

this also doesn't help that i live in a semi-large town :)

[Lavender]

i visit my local library all the time. i always manage to get the maximum amount of books you can get.

most of the time i find authors on here and then write it down and look for the author at the library, and if they don't have what i want, i order it in.

it's good becuase the other shire library's are close to where i live, so i can go to other ones and get what i want, author wise.

[Shona]

I use my local library, usually when borrowing for the kids, but sometimes when I’m trying out a new author and/or it’s not a subgenre I usually read. It was a thrill to see my book there :)

[Renee]

so excited that my local library is getting eBooks this spring! I usually borrow movies and new authors form my local library. Also the kids books.

[Magda]

Rarely do I use my local library. They don't carry much of the genres I like to read, especially in ebook format. I wish they did.

I did request The Night Circus about a month ago & am still waiting for it to become available.

[Jaime]

I used to go to my local library all the time. Then we moved, and even though there's a branch down the road, for some reason I don't go there much. I was just thinking about this recently. Mostly I would get books for research, though, and maybe I'm finding what I need online more. But I do miss perusing the shelves...

[Ani]

I go to the library once a week. I do purchase new releases because those usually have waiting lists. Our library is pretty good.

[Anna]

I love going to the library! We have two really good ones close by, and I usually visit them once a week. :)

[Brenda]

I don't use the library because I could never seem to find what I was looking for and I read constantly. I am also a frequent re-reader. It is nice to have the books that you want on hand. I usually put books that I want on my wishlist and then get them when they come out in paperback or if there is a sale. You can get ebooks even cheaper! I am my own library!

[Michelle]

I'm lucky to live in a large city (Detroit, more or less) that has a wonderful inter-library exchange program. I use that a lot to get my books! I also borrow e-books from the library as well.

My Kindle is mostly for cheap books or indie books that my library probably wouldn't carry. Although, I also use the Kindle for wrist-bruising large books like Stephen King's 11/22/63.

[Jane]

I go to the library all of the time. I live out in the county and my house address is one town but I live in a county that town is not in. Due to this, I have a card for both counties. I live about half way between both libraries. I work in one town and do shopping on weekends in the other since it is larger. Both these libraries have partner libraries you can get books from, and they are not partnered together. I get access to 13 different libraries with my two cards. We are very lucky here because all of these have a good selection. I can get just about anything using the loan system. I do buy books to.

[Rebecca]

I use the library for audio books, but other then that I buy them. I have a kindle and some of my family and friends are on my account. So we don't mind buying the book because we know that a lot of us will read the same books. This way we take turns buying them and don't have to spend as much.

[Amanda]

I buy tons of books, but I also have about 20 books on loan from the library at any given time. I find that this is a great way to try books out that I am not sure that I will like. Library's are awesome! My library also has a drive up window so I don't have to get out of my car and drag three little kids in. Also I know that libraries are pooling their resources. I am able to get books from 10 to 15 different libraries from around the area, which means a bigger selection and it gets sent to whatever library I want to pick it up from.

Also if you have a nook, I have quite a few books that I can still loan. I sent an email to my friends with the list and am willing to loan them to whoever would like. Why let them sit when someone else can enjoy. So if anyone is interested just send me a message.(These books are the ones I have bought with the lend me option)

[Lanie]

I rarely use the library. I trade out books at The Book Rack not far from my house so it doesn't cost as much as buying new. I am a borderline book hoarder. I like to own them and if they are really good I keep them. If not I just bring them back to the store and trade them out for something else.

I haven't read anything lately that was strictly for pleasure though. It's been review, review, review and... oh yeah, I'm supposed to be writing one of my own. I think I'll go get caught up on The Hollows series now. :)

[Milamila]

Mostly I buy the books, but thats because I live in a small village and our library doesnt have a lot of English fantasy/pnr reads. And I prefer English to Dutch. Pfff... I should look into the possibility of an Ereader...

[Ternelljade]

Absolutely. But I buy books and use my Kindle app too.

[Lavender]

I'm not all that into the to e-readers and what-not.
It hurts my eyes and i love the feeling that i get when i flip the page. I get more engrossed in what i am reading if it isn't on screen.

That and i know that with a book, it isnt missing any pages. im a little paranoid that way.

[Olivia]

I use my library all the time. The teen center at this library is amazing! I don't understand why people go out and buy books just because people are raving about it. Books are expensive and I choose to buy the books I love and just use the library to see what's new in YA literature

[Amanda]

Olivia wrote: "I use my library all the time. The teen center at this library is amazing! I don't understand why people go out and buy books just because people are raving about it. Books are expensive and I choo..."

I agree. Books I buy are books that I love to Re-Read! That means most of my paperbacks are worn out. lol

[Candy]

I can't afford my reading habit. I am at the library at least 2x a week. The librarians all know me by name too. I even have started checking out movies from there because it is free and I get to have them for 2 weeks instead of just a few days.

[Rainy]

Not in a very long time.

[Nikki]

I definitely use my libraries. I hadn't gone to a library since high school until I got my ipad (and then later my kindle once they started allowing library lending) and starting getting ebooks from the library. It's been great to be able to read new books/series via ebook lending from my local libraries.

[Mishka84]

@ Serena, ditto, I tend only to read a book once and can never get rid of them afterwards (would never throw a book away it seems criminal) so they just pile up and take up space I don't have. I will go and buy the next book in a series on my kindle if the library doesn't have it there and then I'm really impatient!

@ Nikki - what a good idea, I've never heard of ebook lending, I take it you don't live in the UK? Pretty sure its not available here?

[Nikki]

Michelle a.k.a Mishka84 wrote: "@ Nikki - what a good idea, I've never heard of ebook lending, I take it you don't live in the UK? Pretty sure its not available here? "
Yea, I live in the USA. Ebook lending from libraries has been great, hopefully that will happen soon in the UK!

[Ada]

I still love going to the library! There is something so nostalgic about spending the afternoon browsing the tall, musty stacks of books. :)

However, my library rarely carries the newest releases. If they do, they only have one or two copies and they have a waiting line of hundreds of people.

[Bitchie]

I was an avid library lady until I got my Kindle. Our library didn't carry ebooks then, so I just got out of the habit of going.

Plus, living where I lice (small southern town), they didn't generally have the type of books I read now, anyway. I do miss going in though.

[Sig]

Not really! I actually used to work at my local library for some time. then i moved away and moved back but by then i had my kindle. So i don't really physically turn pages as much now that i have it. :}

[AC]

Well, well, I guess I'm kinda old-fashioned, but yes, I still use my local library (just been there today).. I just love the feeling of 'real' books, and for me it can't be replaced.. but unfortunatelly I'll never have enough money to buy all of those I want to read (lol), so I don't really have a choice.. yet I don't complain, it's a nice walk to the library for me - and e-books are always here when there's no my desired one on the shelves :)

[Wan]

Ooohhh! getting excited. My library is holding a book sales this weekend. Woohoo.