• Welcome to BookAndReader!

    We LOVE books and hope you'll join us in sharing your favorites and experiences along with your love of reading with our community. Registering for our site is free and easy, just CLICK HERE!

    Already a member and forgot your password? Click here.

Libraries

I'm in hog heaven with my library system! They have an online catalog and I LOVE searching for a title or an author and being able to put a hold on it, and in a few days I get an email saying it's ready for me to pick up.

A few months ago I was very, very interested in a book that's been out of print for a few years, I searched and searched, but the people who had copies were selling for more than I felt was reasonable, and I even contacted the publisher, hoping they had a few copies left in a warehouse somewhere. I finally found a copy priced at a little more than I normally pay for an out of print book, but like my previous experienced dealing with Amazon.com, at first the dealer was happy I wanted it, then after I was stupid enough to mention I'd searched for it everywhere before I found it, suddenly the dealer didn't have it anymore and was very sorry, and promised to let me know when he found another copy. I'm sure he did a little searching and found that other dealers were pricing that book at $25-30 more than he was going to charge me.

Anyway, I did what I should have done in the first place-looked on my library's site, and wonder of wonders, they had it! After reading it, though, I was very glad I didn't pay for it, even though it had the information I was looking for.
 
Miss Shelf said:
They have an online catalog and I LOVE searching for a title or an author and being able to put a hold on it, and in a few days I get an email saying it's ready for me to pick up.
Click to expand...
Our library just got a new online catalog, and it's great being able to search for things in the comfort of my own home, but each hold costs $1 so I can't go nuts on that feature :( :mad:
 
MonkeyCatcher said:
Our library just got a new online catalog, and it's great being able to search for things in the comfort of my own home, but each hold costs $1 so I can't go nuts on that feature :( :mad:
Click to expand...

Really? Our library system has been making cuts, maybe I ought to suggest that $1 per hold instead of them charging for borrowing DVDs.

Whatever the cost, it beats asking the librarian for a potentially embarrassing title while four or five people stand behind you within earshot. :rolleyes:
 
Miss Shelf said:
Really? Our library system has been making cuts, maybe I ought to suggest that $1 per hold instead of them charging for borrowing DVDs.
Click to expand...
I'd prefer to have no charge on holds - I hate having to wait until the item becomes available and then actually getting in before someone else nabs it. The other day someone took the book I wanted right in front of me - so annoying :mad:

Whatever the cost, it beats asking the librarian for a potentially embarrassing title while four or five people stand behind you within earshot. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Hehe. Too true :D
 
the idea of a library charging for hold bugs me. Why not charge only if you place a hold on something and don't pick it up? That seems far more reasonable. I think libraries should be free.

edited because I'm on high doses of antibiotic's, advil cold and sinus AND gravol.
 
Greetings all! I like to go to the Library most of the time, as buying books can bring casualties to one's wallet! I only tend to buy books that I know I'll read or reference more than once! I remember reading in a biography about C.S. Lewis, (Shadowlands, by Brian Sibley), that as a young man he would never buy books if he could read them for free at the Library. This wisdom has stuck with me, and I reserve my buying for the best quality of books!

Also, our Public Library system is wonderful:no charges for holds or bestsellers, and there is a 3 day grace period for late fees! We have, I believe, an unlimited check-out amount, though I could be mistaken. :p
 
Our libraries in Edmonton are great too. Really, I wouldn't need to ever buy a book at all, but I like having a big book collection at home. I have a tall book case and it's not quite full yet, so more to buy!!! Anyways, we get the books for 3 weeks plus 2 renewals if there's no holds for it. No charges for holds, you can have a maximum of 40 items out(not that I'd get that much!) the late fee is like 25 cents a day, and $1 for best sellers. It's really great!!!! I go at least once a week and pick out a few books. :D
 
I love my library. It's brilliant. The staff are friendly and find things for me if I can't find what I'm looking for. There's some arty stuff upstairs if you're that way inclined. Also, there's cds and dvds. (people who work at Salisbury Library: if any of you chance upon this, you're the business - you just need to sort out your plastic dust cover issues) :)
They also have a low tolerance concerning hippies. The place is also squirrel free.
 
It's good to know everybody likes their library as much as I do. I want to say that our local public library have recently stopped charging for holding or requests for books in any way, not even for the postage. I am really impressed by that. (Don't know and am afraid to ask how they do it!) A few weeks ago I requested a book that wasn't in the system, I went through the main library. They ordered 6 copies, one specially for my local library. I'm not sure that this is always the case, but it's certainly a luxury when it does happen. We don't have an online catalogue yet but I would think that would reduce costs if there were any?
 
I used to go to my local library alot but probably stopped about a year ago. They have a bad selection of science fiction and fantasy books and most of the books are in horrible condition with ripped pages and food stains on them. I buy probably 2-3 books a week these days.
 
Can't you ask your library to order books for you? I did that here recently and was surprised how keen they were to order. Having said that, it was a few weeks ago now and I'm still waiting for the book! I agree that it's pretty disgusting to try to read a book with somebody else's dinner on it but I usually show it to the staff and the book is put under the counter (probably taken right back out again but still...) I'm sure that library stocking depends on the local budget but if we stop using libraries... well, we lose them, as they say. I also like the idea of only buying special books. 2 - 3 books a week would bankrupt me too :D but without the use of my library, I think I would probably be up around there too.

cheese777 said:
I used to go to my local library alot but probably stopped about a year ago. They have a bad selection of science fiction and fantasy books and most of the books are in horrible condition with ripped pages and food stains on them. I buy probably 2-3 books a week these days.
Click to expand...
 
I joined a library on Monday night; couldn't believe they would let me take out sixteen books at a time. I could only take eleven, though, as my bag wasn't big enough for five more. :(

  • Slaughterhouse 5, Kurt Vonnegut
  • Notes on a Scandal, Zoë Heller
  • Disgrace, J.M. Coatzee
  • The Actual, Saul Bellow
  • The Courage Consort, Michel Faber
  • Saturday, Ian McEwan
  • Williwaw, Gore Vidal
  • Mrs Dalloway, Virginia Woolf
  • How Late It Was, How Late, James Kelman
  • Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro
  • The Invisible Collection/Buchmendel, Stefan Zweig
 
Oh! That's another great point I forgot to add...
Used to be only 6 books at a time at our library, I found out only recently that the allowance was 16. (I only found that out because all the book requests I made came in, all together and really quickly!) I just realised you're in Glasgow too Stewart, I assumed that was a HUGE coincidence!!
:rolleyes:
Stewart said:
I joined a library on Monday night; couldn't believe they would let me take out sixteen books at a time. I could only take eleven, though, as my bag wasn't big enough for five more. :(

  • Slaughterhouse 5, Kurt Vonnegut
  • Notes on a Scandal, Zoë Heller
  • Disgrace, J.M. Coatzee
  • The Actual, Saul Bellow
  • The Courage Consort, Michel Faber
  • Saturday, Ian McEwan
  • Williwaw, Gore Vidal
  • Mrs Dalloway, Virginia Woolf
  • How Late It Was, How Late, James Kelman
  • Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro
  • The Invisible Collection/Buchmendel, Stefan Zweig
Click to expand...
 
lindaj07 said:
I just realised you're in Glasgow too Stewart, I assumed that was a HUGE coincidence!
Click to expand...

Well, I had to join East Renfrewshire's libraries, since I'm blacklisted by Glasgow libraries; my books were due back in August 2001. :rolleyes: I'm waiting for a book amnesty before I return them. :p
 
Did you ask at a Glasgow library? I believe I heard they stop bothering after 3 years. (Not that I condone the "theft" of library books you understand) See "The Burglar Who Painted Like Mondrian" for a great line on that (but that's a different thread obviously!)
Stewart said:
Well, I had to join East Renfrewshire's libraries, since I'm blacklisted by Glasgow libraries; my books were due back in August 2001. :rolleyes: I'm waiting for a book amnesty before I return them. :p
Click to expand...
 
You could always make an anonymous phone call or... does it really matter? I'm at the centre of the universe, where are you?

Stewart said:
No, they sent me a letter and then stopped sending me letters. :D

Where in Glasgow are you?
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top