My Library

I started writing this post to relate that there was a line wrapped outside my library this morning like they were giving away money (they weren't, I checked) and it turned into a "Why I Love the Library" post.

In an effort to save funds, John Dear and I started checking out books from the library as opposed to buying them. We've been doing this for the past two years and have been sooooo successful.

Great Things About Getting Books from the Library
1. Saving money by not buying books (Hopefully, you don't negate the savings by keeping the books way overdue).
2. Reading more (I've noticed that I read more often and a more varied selection by going to the library every other week than I did when I would buy online or at a bookstore).
3. Greater sense of community (Reading is a solitary activity, but I get great nachas (pride, feeling good, happiness) when I am in the library with my community of readers).

The only instances where I will buy books is when: a) the book is not available from my library system, b) we have a gift card to the bookstore, or c) I want to keep the book as a reference.

I've also started donating books to the library, especially when I know that my branch (or heaven forbid, my library system) does not have a copy of the book. JD really dislikes donating books as he believes that books are meant to be kept and treasured. I treasure my books, but if I know that I am unlikely to read the book again, I feel that the book does better good by being housed at the library, where many can access it.

In cases where I cannot decide whether to donate (or where JD is having particular pain from being forced to part with a book), I put the book in a designated To Donate pile where it lives for about a month. If we haven't gotten the book out of the pile to actually use/read it during that time, then it goes to live at the library.