Fiona Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 I should - I know I should. I have sometimes, but I'm so bad with taking books back I may as well buy them! Sometimes, I see a book in the library and get it out but don't really fancy reading it then so it goes on the back burner, that's my problem. Choosing my next book to read is a rather random process sometimes. My problem with libraries is that, they are often in hardback and I despise hardback. I'd much rather read paperback. The only hard back books I'll get is HP because I won't wait till it comes out in paperback! I do have some h/b but not many... it just depends on the size of the volume. I just hate reading them, they're so uncomfortable and heavy and bulky. And the library has 90% hardbacks... although my local (when I'm not at uni) library stocks p/b. However, my local library is also rubbish and seems to contain only the rubbish books. So... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 I paid a visit to my local library on the weekend for the first time in about 7 years. I wanted to see if they had Terry Pratchett's Discworld books, because I want to read them but don't know if I want to invest all that money buying them. They only had about the last 5-6 books that were published. Looks like I'll be buying them after all! They had some other books there that I wouldn't mind reading but I couldn't find any books for a lot of the authors that I'm really interested in reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maclsj Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Certainly in England you can request a copy of any book you want to read. They will charge you a request fee (in my local library that 80p) and either get it from another library or buy a copy. If you want to get a book that is often out you can reserve that too, again for the same fee. As for not getting through books quick enough before they have to be returned I must admit I find being able to log on and see my library account and request books/renew books has been really really helpful! Different libraries work slightly differently though, but its worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 My local library has a baby group. I'm gong to take Katie next year (it is on at the same time as my current baby group and I think she will get more out of it next year when we finish our current one anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Lot's of libraries do half days on a Wed or Tue. This morning I went shopping and on the way back I saw a Linrary van coming down the road (towards the library). I don't think I've seen one before (not a mobile library, some type of library service van. I forget the word it said after library (followed by Lancashire County [service]). Perhaps it was taking books between the libraries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblomov Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 We lived in the outskirts of Birmingham fro 1987 to 1992 and I used to go at least twice a month to the massive library in the city centre. It has a huge collection and was very good to research your pet subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerball Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Odd that so many libraries close on Wednesday at noon, or all day. I wonder if that's an English thing - is there some kind of tradition/story behind that? I don't recall any Australian libraries that close early on one day of the week. My local library closes at noon on a Wednesday too, but the library one town over (in the same local group of libraries) is open all day Wednesday, and closes at noon on Thursday. So it's not too bad - if I feel the urge to go to the library, I can always find one open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 It isn't just libraries. Universities do it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maclsj Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 My library closes all day Thursday and does half day on Saturday. Wednesday is a normal day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I know that at the library I work at that even when it is closed the librarians still come in to work to do behind the scenes work. Plus it is open very late one evening a week so it probably allows staff to have time off especially as it (like most libraries) is open on a Saturday. There are mobile libraries and delivery vans - the delivery van takes the books from one library to another - we have exchanges (where we rotate stock with other libraries), book reservations, and books returned to other libraries in the county coming back to their 'home' library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 I think the van I saw was a delivery van for houses as Laura said, unless it does both, as it was very full of books, but I saw another one yesterday coming from the side street by my house. I saw a school library delivery van today too when I went to baby group (school next to childrem's centre). As for Saturdays, that is not a half day strictly. Most places have different hours on Sat. I think my library goes to 8 on a Monday but can't remember if it closes one day or not. It's open on Saturdays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maclsj Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 The library my Mum works at seems to be open every day except bank holidays. It's certainly open Sundays as my Mum has to work 1 Sunday in every 4. Its open until 8pm on Tuesdays (her late night) and I think possibly Thursdays too. Rest of the week its open til 5pm (or 4pm on Sundays). It certainly seems to be open a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 The library my Mum works at seems to be open every day except bank holidays. It's certainly open Sundays as my Mum has to work 1 Sunday in every 4. Its open until 8pm on Tuesdays (her late night) and I think possibly Thursdays too. Rest of the week its open til 5pm (or 4pm on Sundays). It certainly seems to be open a lot! Must be quite a big branch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I use mine a lot and not just for borrowing books - also CD's and to collect local information for the newsletter that I edit. The staff there are brilliant and very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
March Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Yes, i love the library especially the newer, modern ones. Besides the main library (stand alone buildings), there are also smaller in some shopping centres here. They are open everyday from 10am to 9pm, except on public holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'm trying to use it, but they don't have anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
writeoff Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 My library's only small but there's a pretty good selection of books. They don't seem to buy hardbacks any more but then neither do I. The staff are very friendly. The only problem is the opening hours aren't so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyD Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 I use it every few weeks, largely for the kids' books (they are all voracious readers too especially my eldest daughter who seems to be on a mission to read everything Enid Blyton ever wrote at the moment). Occasionally, I'll pick up something for me - like a hardback I'd feel guilty about buying myself! - but I have copped a lot of library fines over the years so never get more than one at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddglenn Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 I haven't used my library in years actually. I used to love going to the library and mooching around, but I tend to use the internet for research purposes now and buy books either from bookshops or online through Amazon or eBay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted February 12, 2008 Author Share Posted February 12, 2008 Lucy, I'm jealous.. I can't get my daughter interested in Enid Blyton! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 I use it every few weeks, largely for the kids' books (they are all voracious readers too especially my eldest daughter who seems to be on a mission to read everything Enid Blyton ever wrote at the moment). Occasionally, I'll pick up something for me - like a hardback I'd feel guilty about buying myself! - but I have copped a lot of library fines over the years so never get more than one at a time. That is what I tend to do. I take my daughter to the library every two or three weeks and we choose new books together and now and again I will look for something I am interested in reading, or browse and something will catch my eye. I look forward to taking both my children to choose their own books when they are older. My old Enid Blyton books are in Katie's room so in a few years she might see them herself. Michelle - Is that Beth? Has she tried reading Blyton at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyanddandy Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Lucy, I'm jealous.. I can't get my daughter interested in Enid Blyton! I didn't succeed either!! Ice Cream - do they have Storytime at your library? I used to take my children to storytime at the library for under 5s - they were both engrossed in amongst all the other kids wandering around making noise and stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nici Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 And Robbie wouldn't read them either and he is probably too old now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kateleopald Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I love libraries. o many people just think of them as book lenders, but they are real treasure troves for local stuff (history etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I didn't succeed either!! Ice Cream - do they have Storytime at your library? I used to take my children to storytime at the library for under 5s - they were both engrossed in amongst all the other kids wandering around making noise and stuff Yes. I just haven't got around to getting there, for lots of reasons. I thought Katie was a bit too young for the storytime until recently, the music session is on at the same time as baby group, and then there is getting out in time to walk downtown for the session. It is time for a change now that Katie is one and can't go to baby group, so I think we will either go to toddle group and the music session at the library, or the storytime and the 0-5 group (the library groups are on the same mornings as the other groups). I am going to go to both toddle groups this week to see how Katie likes them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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