Local library

Litchielou

If this is a money saving site why are posters buying books from charity shops and not using their local library, we pay for this service through our council tax.
I remember taking my children on a Saturday morning where an assistant was reading a story then choosing a book for the week now they do that with their children. It has given me and them a love of reading and going to the local library is now part of our lives.
If it's not used they will disappear and I for one will feel sad.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I read a lot and use both the local library and charity shops.

Mine are open til 19.00 most weekdays, which is very handy for those working full time.

PasturesNew

A lot of "local" libraries aren't that local - and they're not open all days/often and no evenings.... and then you've got to remember to get it back. If you're paying for parking each time you might as well just buy them at charity shops without the hassle.

Many libraries are quite inadequately stocked - and even if you order a book you can wait weeks/months. I ordered one once for a course I was on, by the time I got notice that it'd arrived, my course had started, run, finished ....

Libraries these days can be overwhelming places, noisy spaces, with queues to ask the staff for what you want and then there's always some "problem", so it's "too hard/bothersome" a lot of the time...

Charity shop browsing is what people do, with convenient shops they're passing, without any urgency to have pre-planned any visit etc, nor to ever return again.

I just checked my library, it opens about 9.30am and closes at 5.30 (except Tue and Thu when it's 7pm). Saturday it's open 9-4. Not really easy times to get to if you've got other things on the go.... and it's £1 to park each time.

LameWolf

If Mr LW or I buy a book, it's one we'll want to read, re-read and re-read again.

VfM4meplse

I use both. And have on occasions borrowed other people’s cards as well.

For there is nothing that gets my pulse racing faster than the thought of a good book.

fewgroats

You can use libraries from a different county from you, should you so wish.

Primrose

Out village library is open five days a week and is used as a community hub so all kinds of activities take place there. It even coverts sinto a 90 seat theatre! Villagers had a massive fight to keep it open in the face of all kinds of opposition. One of the measures for justifying its existence is the footfall (no of people visiting) and no of items borrowed so I now borrow as many books as I can carry whenever I visit even if I don’t have time to read them all ! It’s also rare that our library staff can’t order a book I want if its not on the shelves. We must be very lucky compared with some!

Grumpelstiltskin

I was looking at my library website to see if they had a book in stock. They didn't and it is now 75p to reserve it. Many charity shops here sell paperbacks for 50p and the odd one for 30p ( not the national chains ) So the charity shops are cheaper and you can either keep the book or pass it on.

rach_k

I do buy books from charity shops and we use the library but it's important to me to support authors and buy new books sometimes too. I don't expect them to be able to make a living if nobody buys their books. I like to own books as well, so I can go back to them whenever I fancy, and there's nothing like a wall of books to make your home look and smell nice!

Pollycat

LameWolf wrote: »

If Mr LW or I buy a book, it's one we'll want to read, re-read and re-read again.

I do this ^^^^.
I have a lot of books bought from charity shops that I'll not part with.

I also buy books from charity shops to take on holiday.
We read them then pass them on.
It would be impossible (and pretty silly) to take 6 library books and bring them back.
Also, the sun can ruin a paperback book in a few days.
Surely the OP wouldn't want public books trashed.....

And who says the people who buy books from charity shops don't also use libraries?

Spendless

I loved going to the library as a child. At both my Junior and Secondary schools there was one on the way home.

When I had children the local library had closed and the area was just serviced by a mobile library that called once a fortnight for 20 minutes (we did use it very occassionally). My kids attended the same secondary I did, the library is now a florist and coffee shop.

I took my kids a couple of years ago into a larger library a short drive away (it's not within walking distance though) and was shocked at how poor the choice was.

Cuts in public services have made it this way.