libraries

[marycatelli]

How lovely libraries are.

They let you save on both shelf-space and money.  They let you check out books that you're not sure you want to buy.  They let you research lots and lots of stuff.

And they help keep your TBR pile lower because they will, in due course, be due back, and you may or may not eyeball them wondering whether you should renew them, but even if you do, you may decide -- nah.  This can be wise when you overdose on an era for researching purposes.

OTOH, the reading/writing trade-off looks harder when you know that you will take back the books in a few weeks.

Comments

[marycatelli]

Oh, yeah -- ideally with the library in walking or bicycling distance, but even without that. . . .

I started writing because my parents made me return all books and get out no new ones because we wouldn't return by the time they were due. I was going into written word deprivation.

[hannahsarah.livejournal.com]

Due to budget cuts, our library has a huge collection of children's paperbacks that are on the "honor system". Rivka is addicted to The Magic Treehouse series at the moment, and there's like a bazillion of them. The books are all clearly labeled with bright yellow stickers, and you just bring them back when you're done, or risk angering the Library Gods, who will send you bad juju for abusing the system. We take it very seriously around here.

[marycatelli]

that's one way to get vacation books