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I do feel lucky to live in a large metro area with many very excellent libraries. My city has a nice large library, connected to the YMCA. There are days I like to go to the library and just browse the selection.
Most of the time, however, I just don't have the time to look through all of the books, because my luck on finding good books is very hit and miss. So when I get recommendations from other bloggers or I want books for the next challenge, I hit up the website and put in requests. My requests are usually granted pretty quickly, then I make a library pit stop on the way to the gym.
Let me explain my love of the library this way: I haven't bought a single book this year. Not a one. I've been working on quite a few challenges this year, and so far I've gotten away with just borrowing from the library. I mean to get onto Bookmooch.com eventually for books I can't get at the library, but it hasn't happened yet.
There are downsides to the library. The law of supply and demand apply, of course, and some books I want to read are in high demand. When I'm number 237 in line to request the book, I just cancel the request, since that could be years from now. However, I have been wanting to read Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper by Diablo Cody for In Their Shoes Reading Challenge, and I just don't want to take the money to buy it. So when I was number 16 in line back in January, I decided to stick it out and see what happened. Each time I log in to the website, I move up little by little. Right now I'm at lucky #6, so I'm figuring in about 2 more months it might be waiting for me at the library.
I'm #9 for The Constant Princess and #3 for The Reluctant Fundamentalist. In fact, I kind of feel like I'm in a gameshow called The Library Lottery.
...And weeeee're back with The Library Lottery. Our contestants are you're too cheap to buy this uber-popular book, so they have to tough it out against the clock. How long will they last? Will they break down and pay money for the book? Or will they hold out until their ship.. er book comes in? Perils face our contestants, as they may be too late... by that time, will their teeth have fallen out and their chin hair overgrown their face? Stay tuned for more Library Lottery...
And so it goes. I have got four books waiting for me at the library, and I can't wait to get started on Gathering Blue, Rash, Speaker for the Dead, and Nickeled and Dimed. Thank goodness for the library! And time on the weekend to read.
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8 comments:
LOL - I am a lover of the library and totally understand how you feel. Something new today though. We went to something sponsored by the library called recycled reads. It's different than the library sales. These aren't library books. Lots of finds there and we'll be going again next month.
Anyway, I received your sweet card yesterday and will blog about it later on today. All I can say is WOW, it's BEAUTIFUL! I can't wait to show everyone!
I really need to learn to use the library more :p I rarely ever go...I have this weird thing with needing to own my books and it gets a little out of control with the storage space required. Yay for Speaker for the Dead!! It's my favorite :) And I can't wait to hear what you think of Gathering Blue too...I've been wanting to read that one ever since The Giver..Loved that book.
I use my library in exactly the same way! I just can't afford to buy all the books I read. Problem is that I often don't read the few books that I do buy because I can't fit them in between library due dates - of course, that could have something to do with having too many library books out at any one time!
Oh, you are such a smart girl!!! I wish I was better about not buying books! Even though we hit the library on a nearly weekly basis, I still probably buy one book for every one I read from the library.
J. Kaye-that sounds like a great way to stock up on reading! How cool.
chris-yeah, money and space issues have kept me from adding to my book collection. I haven't met too many people (aside from my parents) that have a larger book collection than me, so its not like I have much room for expansion.
marg-agreed! I have more books out right now than I could really humanly read, but at least some of them are short!
debi-believe me I'd be buying more books if I had the money and time. I still get so tempted when I go to B&N. I bet your house is like my parents... bookshelves in almost every room.
Oh, I wish that our library was attached to the Y! That would make it so much easier, but since our library is in our downtown (which is not central in the city), I never make it over there. I'll be interested in your thoughts on The Constant Princess. I just finished The Other Boleyn Girl and wish I had read The Constant Princess first.
I live in one of the snobbiest towns in NJ (but I'm not snobby, I promise) and everyone prides themselves on their mcmansions, fancy cars and pta meetings, but with all this our Library is dingy and old! It's not the type of airy, beautiful library a lot of towns have these days. It's such a bummer.
trish-what a bummer! I love the location of the library in my city. But it would be hard to get motivated to go there if it was out of the way.
stephanie-what the heck? They should definitely make a library as nice as the mcmansions. My city is pretty snobby too. I can't believe some of the house prices here! We rent a pretty nice little affordable place, but we get to enjoy all the luxuries of a young, snobby suburb (every chain restaurant you can think of, outdoor shopping areas galore, new library, etc)
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