As the Page Turns (the Book Thread)

[Susan1]

i didn't want to quote your whole post, so this will be a mess. And my hands are so cold, I seem to be going back and retyping everything twice.

However, it is not possible to pick up books up at any library other than the ones at which the books were reserved. I wish that would change.

I reserve them online and it's set up to go to my home branch. I can change the branch any time. You used to have to take 7-day books back where you took them out, but not anymore.

For that reason, I always check the databases of the libraries near me to see if books I'm interested in are available. And I have kept lists of books I want to read -

Yes, that's exactly what I've been doing for years. I had one for authors that I was current on (Janet Evanovich) and one for new old ones that I was starting from the beginning. I go to the Books In Order website and copy over all the titles for the author. And I have a separate page for cozies. I combined the first two. I have a separate one for all the J. A. Jance books though. I'm current on all of them except the J. P. Beaumont ones because most of the older ones have had to be interlibraried so they get sidelined while I am reading books I can get to faster.

Also, I like reading series, because I a) can get comfortable in knowing I like a certain author

Yeah, Janet Evanovich again. I worked at our book sale at work during a charity sale week (and headed our bake sale on another day). Someone brought her 7th book and said I would like it. So I bought it. She was already up to 10, but I had to go back and start with the first one. That was back before you could do things online, so I had to have the library find each one. I don't think I got caught up till about book 13.

People read on Kindle. I don't think it is very expensive.

I had a brain freeze (to go along with the rest of me). I like holding books though.

Kindle is is good as a request for a birthday or Christmas,

I wish I had someone to buy me gifts. Is Santa Claus reading this?

enjoy reading in bed at night,

I can't do that anymore. I have to put pillows under my elbows and under the book. And I have "restless legs", so I can't lie still with them straight.

And there are some good second-hand bookstores,

My mom used to get a bunch of books at the half price book store, and then take them back and get a discount on more. Uh, the library is free. She also bought a paperback at the drugstore that I had just gotten at the library one time. She thought going to the library was too much trouble. That also was before I could have reserved stuff online for her.

Saturday was library day and one of my parents would take me to get as many books as they allowed,

In the summer, my friend, Shauna, and I used to take her red wagon five blocks down the street and get a bunch of books and we would both read them. And roll them back down and get some more the next week. That's back when you got a stamp for so many books and they were plastered all over the library walls. I remember cardboard teddy bears with teddy bear stamps on them! They didn't even have an adult summer reading program this year. I got a bookmark and a tote last year.

I love libraries,

Me too. But not as much anymore since they are all cold looking and have computers everywhere. I miss the libraries with the wooden bookcases up to the ceiling and the cozy feel. Even the fireplaces in the new libraries aren't cozy. I've never seen anybody sitting there reading. I'm sure they do it every minute the library is open as soon as I leave though, of course.

Kids don't do homework in libraries anymore. Maybe in the main branch downtown or something. Any "kids" I've seen on the computer were playing games, and a lot of adults.

Anyway, off on a side road (but related) - there's a cartoon on FB about not using the self-checkout at the grocery store where the person is saying "I don't work here". And a big long discussion - people like them, people don't.........One guy started a thing about people don't mind pumping their own gas so why should they mind checking out their own groceries. That's an entirely different thing. And then I was thinking maybe that's where the demise of customer service started - pumping your own gas. I even used to go in to pay afterwards.

There was an episode of That 70's Show, where they went out to eat at a place like a Friday's and the waiter said that they weren't allowed to bring a salad to the table and Kitty could go make her own salad at the salad bar. And they complained that she could make her own salad at home for free. So maybe that's when "customer service" started going downhill. And then technology took over and people don't have to do things right because it's the computer's fault. And look it up yourself. And don't take your face out of your own screen. And this message just locked up, so I will stop complaining and go read my broken book.

 

[clairecloutier]

Since I started at the bookstore in '87, I purchase most of my books. I like being able to keep them and not have to bring them back. Although, I mostly donate them as I only have so much room. I think I currently have about 1000-1200, but over the years I've likely donated at least triple that to the various thrift stores in town. I also buy used books, but they have to be super clean.

I am constantly trying to wrestle with book storage. Somehow our house is set up in a way that doesn't allow us to have that many bookcases. So I am constantly weeding out books, only to buy more, and the shelves are never neat and clean-looking ....

 

[Finnice]

Mr. Finnice just builds more and more bookshelves. We have told to boy Finnices that what happens to the thousands of books we have after our death is their problem.

 

[PDilemma]

People read on Kindle. I don't think it is very expensive. Not the device itself, or downloading books, but maybe it is a few bucks as opposed to free from the library. Kindle is is good as a request for a birthday or Christmas, and I would think that the convenience would more than outweigh the minimal cost.

I still read ordinary books. I am at the computer all day, and enjoy reading in bed at night, without computer glare. I still like the feel of the pages/paper in my hands.

Kindles run anywhere from around $80 for a dedicated eReader (not a tablet to use for other purposes) to over $200 for the Fire tablet.

I have used one for seven years now. I use a dedicated eReader version which has no backlighting. The whole “I like the feel of paper in my hand” thing becomes pointless when you get to choose between that and headaches and eye pain/strain due to retinal disease. Kindle has reading options that help that.

My library uses Overdrive and shares eBooks among most smaller library systems in the state. I read mostly library books without going to the library now

 

[quartz]

I stack a lot of my coffee table books on the floor and make mini-towers of them. I currently have 2 spare bedrooms, and the one that is directly across from my bedroom, may become a library some day. The husband, however, is unaware of this plan...

 

[taf2002]

My library uses Overdrive and shares eBooks among most smaller library systems in the state. I read mostly library books without going to the library now

Same here. So convenient.

 

[MacMadame]

People read on Kindle. I don't think it is very expensive. Not the device itself, or downloading books, but maybe it is a few bucks as opposed to free from the library.

I believe you can download eBooks from the library onto a Kindle. You can also load the Kindle app onto your existing devices -- including a regular computer! So you can read Kindle books without having to buy a Kindle.

I twice have read an entire book on my iPhone! Now I don't recommend it but in one case I was in the middle of the Hunger Games trilogy and I couldn't put it down. So I was sneaking peeks to read it at work on my phone. In the other case, I don't remember why but I started reading Treasure Island on my phone and just continued, bits at a time. It was a lot better experience than I was expecting but I think I'll stick to my iPad, which I already have and works pretty well for books.

 

[Erin]

Mr. Finnice just builds more and more bookshelves. We have told to boy Finnices that what happens to the thousands of books we have after our death is their problem.

That sounds like my parents. I will probably be the one having to deal with them, but I don’t begrudge them the books.

A friend of mine has just about every wall in her apartment with bookshelves, and I wouldn’t even know how to estimate how many books she has. I’ve managed to keep mine to two small shelves, especially since the advent of e-readers but I do love being in her apartment and seeing all her books.

 

[Prancer]

Kindles run anywhere from around $80 for a dedicated eReader (not a tablet to use for other purposes) to over $200 for the Fire tablet.

And Kindle isn't the only option.

You can also buy reconditioned Kindles for about $30. The dedicated ereaders usually last a long, long time.

My library uses Overdrive and shares eBooks among most smaller library systems in the state. I read mostly library books without going to the library now

My libraries have switched to Libby; I like it much better. If you get the opportunity to switch, I recommend doing it.

I believe you can download eBooks from the library onto a Kindle.

People do realize that there are other ereaders? Maybe not. But I believe you can download library books to just about all of them.

I twice have read an entire book on my iPhone!

I read on my phone every now and then, but only when I am stuck somewhere. It's not nearly as terrible as I thought it would be, but the screen is just too small. I flip along like a maniac.

A lot of people still like print, which is cool, but storage is one of the main reasons I was glad to go digital.

 

[MacMadame]

People do realize that there are other ereaders? Maybe not. But I believe you can download library books to just about all of them.

Well, I realize it because I'm on MacOS on all my devices and they have a built-in one. But we were talking about Kindles so I thought I'd throw it out there that you don't have to buy a Kindle to read Kindle books.

 

[Susan1]

A friend of mine has just about every wall in her apartment with bookshelves

A friend's husband used to be a high school history teacher, so you can imagine what his home office (spare bedroom) looked like - floor to ceiling shelves full, on three walls, piles on desks and the floor. There was just an empty aisle to walk to the desk chair. I said I'd be afraid of a book avalanche and nobody would be able to find me.

When I inherited this house, my mom had two shelves in the living room of hardback books from the 40's and 50's that had her maiden name in them. I read Leave Her to Heaven several times over the years. Nobody at the garage sale wanted them. Someone told me they weren't worth anything without the dust jackets. I took them to the 1/2 price book store, and, yeah, they didn't give me any money for them.

And a shelf of paperbacks where you could see the fronts lined up across, and then even more stacked up behind. My dad had gotten rid of a lot of them already, but I kept some of them. And I put a lot of my old paperbacks in the garage sale too. What didn't sell went to the half price book store. I think I got $5 for the whole box.

And Kindle isn't the only option.

You can also buy reconditioned Kindles for about $30. The dedicated ereaders usually last a long, long time.

Thanks, but I only leave the house 3 or 4 days a week and the library is one place to go. I fall asleep reading. I haven't dropped a book on my face for a long time. It would probably be painful to get smacked in the face with a kindle or whatever.

 

[oleada]

I used to read on my phone a lot. I have the Nook app and the Kindle app (mostly for library books). When I was commuting almost an hour each way via subway, I had to take my purse, with my lunch, workout clothes (including my spin shoes) so it was much easier just to read from my phone. My backpack or purse only had so much space. I do miss my commute in a way, because it was my dedicated reading time, and I have a harder time carving it out now.

 

[MsZem]

Kindle e-readers (not other Kindle devices) are not heavy or bulky, and they do not have computer-like glare. I had an older Kindle model for several years and later switched to a Kindle Voyage, which sadly I will have to replace some day. But not yet, and I've had it since 2015. I would imagine Nook and Kobo devices offer similar benefits.

The feel of a print book is nice, but being able to get the books I want immediately, to adjust the font and the lighting, and to carry most of my books wherever I go is even better. Other than image-heavy books, everything I buy is now digital.

I was a frequent visitor to the library as a kid. Unfortunately Israeli libraries are not really set up for a reader like me, who primarily reads in English and in digital format. Still, libraries and librarians are awesome.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

Libby/Overdrive are great when I know what I want already, but for me nothing is better than browsing the shelves at the library. There are so many wonderful books and authors I would never have found without being able to randomly pick up books and flip through the pages. I read e-books but I only discover physical ones.

 

[taf2002]

I keep my Fire on my Kindle sign-in & my iPad on my sister's sign-in so I can have twice as many books.

 

[Prancer]

I keep my Fire on my Kindle sign-in & my iPad on my sister's sign-in so I can have twice as many books.

What is your limit?

I belong to five libraries, all of them parts of consortiums, and I think I get anywhere from 20 to 50 ebooks from each. I never run out unless I want to .

I get really annoyed when I want a book and it isn't published digitally and/or available at the library. What kind of backwardness is this?

 

[taf2002]

What is your limit?

I belong to five libraries, all of them parts of consortiums, and I think I get anywhere from 20 to 50 ebooks from each. I never run out unless I want to .

I get really annoyed when I want a book and it isn't published digitally and/or available at the library. What kind of backwardness is this?

I didn't know there was a limit. My sister has 100's of book on her kindle & when you add all the ones I get from the library I'll never run out.

 

[canbelto]

I know George McGovern is mostly known for his disastrous presidential bid but I just read his book about his daughter's struggles with alcoholism. Highly recommend it, a heartbreaking read and it hits home for anyone who's known someone who suffers from alcoholism.

 

[taf2002]

I just reread my post & it looks like I only read library books. I wanted to clarify that I also buy books. I didn't want to appear cheap.

 

[MacMadame]

I think reading library books instead of buying them is smart, not cheap!

 

[Susan1]

I just reread my post & it looks like I only read library books. I wanted to clarify that I also buy books. I didn't want to appear cheap.

I'm not cheap. I'm poor.

 

[Japanfan]

I just reread my post & it looks like I only read library books. I wanted to clarify that I also buy books. I didn't want to appear cheap.

I think reading library books instead of buying them is smart, not cheap!

If you will only read a book once, and will not reference it after you're done reading it, why bother buying it if taking it out of the library or getting it second-hand are options?

I'm not cheap. I'm poor.

And ordering books from Amazon is expensive. I only buy from Amazon if a book isn't available elsewhere. Usually it's a book in a series. If I'm following a series and it's two year wait because new books coming out, I'll buy from Amazon.

There is one well-stocked second hand book store in my city, but unfortunately they changed their location. The former one was convenient, the new one is not.

And on top the expense, there's the issue of storing books. Mr. Japanfan reads about a book a day - he reads quickly, not paying attention to detail as I do, and often reads easy books like all the Star Trek ones. The books generally pile up on top of the bookshelf. Right now one of the piles is approaching the ceiling.

 

[Susan1]

If you will only read a book once, and will not reference it after you're done reading it, why bother buying it if taking it out of the library or getting it second-hand are options?

Yeah, I've only re-read a couple of purchased books in my life, maybe five years later. Except for my Little House books. I've read all of those every couple years since the 70's. And the Flowers in the Attic series a couple times, not for awhile.

I still have all of the skating books I've gotten as gifts. I read My Sergei a couple more times. But that was it. I think I referenced Figure Skating for Dummies when someone asked me a technical question 20 years ago, but that was all out of date after a few years. (And some things were actually wrong in it in the first place.)

I saw a book at a book sale that I had read from the library and I bought it for my mom to read. I didn't take that one to the half price book store. Maybe I'll read it again to figure out why I liked it so much.

 

[quartz]

I buy books that I will never read simply because they are pretty. Books are also decorative, and I love to have them everywhere. I do love to re-read my favorites, although I have been making an effort the last few years not to do that too much, as I have so many new ones to get to, and I'm running out of life to read everything I want to read. When you can shop while you work, its next to impossible not to constantly be buying new books all the time, I rarely go anymore than a week maybe two where I am not buying something.

 

[genevieve]

I think reading library books instead of buying them is smart, not cheap!

I am still on a book buying ban (which I've only broken twice since returning, I think), and the only downside is that I loooove books, and I also love supporting both authors and brick and mortar bookstores. I will be doing some xmas shopping at my favorite bookstore to hopefully scratch that itch.

 

[quartz]

Oh, and I just remembered that it's employee appreciation weekend at my store, which means I get more of a discount on my already generous discount - Erin Morgenstern's "The Starless Sea" just came out, so that will be coming home with me for sure, and there is a new David Day Tolkien Encyclopedia that's really pretty, and a big coffee table book on the Cosmos that I might need too.

 

[puglover]

My mother was an avid reader and she loved Shakespeare and Dickens. She had these amazing old copies - well worn -of so many of the classics. In my younger and more foolish days I discarded them. Oh how I wish I had them now.

 

[MacMadame]

I am still on a book buying ban (which I've only broken twice since returning, I think)

I am definitely not. I will buy books because it's easier than finding them through the library or used bookstore. I just don't consider this smart on my part.

 

[emason]

Erin Morgenstern's "The Starless Sea" just came out

I haven’t read this yet, but I got a signed copy at an author event last week at the New York Public Library main branch in Manhattan. Morgenstern was interviewed by Kelly Braffet,
(who has a new book herself, coming out early next year.). It was very unfair of these two women to be so damn smart and so damn funny; if anyone gets a chance to hear either of these women at an author talk, you should just go. You won’t regret it.

Buying and collecting books is a hobby as far as I am concerned and we all need hobbies, right? My BFF once remarked to me that she “didn’t trust people who didn’t have books. How can you not have books around?” I agree 100% and I’ve got an apartment full of books to back up that statement.

 

[pat c]

I borrow ebooks from the library all the time. Libby has been a great addition. I buy ebooks often. I also like @genevieve am trying not to buy books. I like them, but having moved boxes of books a few too many times.......
That's not to say we don't have a lot of books, you find them everywhere in our house. Now I try and just buy books for presents. The point is the love of reading. Yep, I'm afflicted.