How often do you visit a library? Do you go to borrow books? Do research? Check out the multi-media center? Hang out with the friendly and knowledgeable staff? Are you there out of love or out of need?
Not as often as I used to. Some of the things I used to need to visit the library for, I can do from home these days – including search the book catalogue and make reservations and renew loans. With a click I can order a book to be sent from the main library to my nearest small branch library and get a message when I can pick it up there. The branch library is only ~ 5 minutes walk from my home. Since the Kindle came into my life (back in the autumn) I’ve only borrowed a few audio books. But I still pop in at the library sometimes for a bit of random physical browsing.
Talking of audio books, I’d like to warmly recommend this website that I recently found:
Lots of free AUDIO public domain classics.
Well worth checking out if you like listening to books.
Seriously, while offering more and more programs, and children's reading days, the libraries here are getting meaner and meaner, I could tell you some stories!
ReplyDeleteThe school library was my 2nd home for years - my Mum worked there from when I was about 10 until she retired some years ago. It was what inspired me to become a Librarian myself, and I worked at my town's central library for six years, occasionally being sent for work at the school library where I "grew up", when someone there was on vacation or sick.
ReplyDeleteNowadays, most of my reading material comes to me through my kindle, or my Mum (who still visits the library about once a week), and there are the parcels from England as well; my mother-in-law sends books and chocolate twice a year :-)
I used to visit the library to do research with their selection of books and that need has been reduced by the Internet so most of the time I go to the library now because I want to browse the books not because a need. I love the inter library loan. It makes it so convienent to get most any book you would want. I just posted my first Booking Through Thursday post. I'd love if you could stop by. http://isitamazing.blogspot.com/2013/02/booking-through-thursday.html
ReplyDeleteIronically my main use for the library nowadays is to browse their 'Books for sale' table - made up mostly of withdrawn books. My desire to pick and choose from among my own (hundreds of) unread books leaves me little time for borrowing ones from the library but I would be terribly sad if it disappeared so have the joined the Friends of the Library to help it to stay open.
ReplyDeleteScriptor, my neighbourhood library had a sale recently but I stayed away to avoid temptation... I have enough just now with all the Kindle ones!
DeleteBefore Kindle i did this a lot, we have 5 libraries, and if one doesn't have the book I want, i just click a couple of times and it moves to my five mintues from home library and i pick it up when they call. just like yours. i do have to admit, sometimes i miss holding a book
ReplyDeleteI miss the card catalogs, but I love being able to reserve books online and then pick them up. I did that just today!
ReplyDelete2 Kids and Tired Books BTT
I love visiting the local library. It is much more fun than shopping for clothes as I will always find something that fits and the fashions of the past remain in use. But my favourite places are second hand book shops and book exchanges. Some book exchanges here are almost free as they become overloaded with used books. For those not familiar with a book exchange, you take your books and receive a credit. Then you choose from the selection and purchase using your credits. A cash refund is usually not possible. Aaah, the thrill of the hunt. The sensation of sharing. Budget friendly indulgences.
ReplyDeleteLouse, book exchanges sound like a good idea. I never heard of one around here. Sometimes at markets there have been clothes exchanged based on the same principle. But I don't think there is any permanent place here for anything of that sort. There are some charity places but they are based on some people giving stuff and others buying.
DeleteWe have a nice library 5 minute walking distant from out house. It's up hill, but coming home is a breeze..I should visit it more.
ReplyDeleteStopped going to the library years ago, it's a 18 mile drive roundtrip and was usually full of noisy children and clueless parents. I was thrilled when it joined the digital age and I could check out books for my Kindle.
ReplyDeleteThat does sound a bit "out of the way" - I understand you must appreciate the Kindle!
DeleteThanks all for your comments. It seems as though the role of libraries is changing, quite a few of us (if not all!) still have one nearby.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most important things which made me feel I really lived here in Napier was getting a permanent library ticket. It gave me a sense of belonging. I no longer use the library every week as I did originally but I make sure that I use it frequently in person. I think life without libraries would be very poor indeed. Our library here offers much more than books alone though. When I was in Canada I noticed that the libraries had children's hours and so on where the library staff got them interested in books and stories.
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