Book Club

[makena]

My daughter loves to go to the library and she's 27.  She has always loved books.  When Kindle first came out I wanted to get one for her but she said no, she'd rather hold the real book.  She also loves perusing used book stores. 

[KaySD]

Love iBooks. Love Kindle and Amazon. Love local bookstores and Barnes/Noble. AND, love the library. There's nowhere like a library for browsing, dreaming, working, being curious and being entertained. I use three different libraries in my vicinity. One has noon concerts. Another has a wonderful reading room. The other has a great bookstore, coffee bar and auditorium. And they're all filled with books and books and books.....

Sigh.

[phoenixbrd]

Libraries served as my babysitter as a child....I learned to have a love and special bond with reading/books. I'm sure that some of my spiritual interests were fostered in the library and would never have been exposed to different ideas if it weren't for being parked in a library for hours.  I can remember certain books that I read at a young age that influenced life long interests that young children most likely would never have considered.   My home today has a library.  I've weeded out most books except for art and esoteric interests and even at that most rooms have bookshelves.  I like to study, browse, reflect, take notes in the margins, and underline and this is a treat as time is luxury.  I've tried to resort to using the library and had to order books from inter-library services in order to find the books that I'm interested in.  By the time I go through this process, drive back and forth, and burdened with a deadline, I've basically resorted to limiting my browsing to possibly checking out a book just to decide if it is worth buying to own. At this point, many books I'm searching for are out of print and not available in the library.   I think libraries are a critical cultural institution and reflect priorities in society.  Some people do not have the luxury of being able to purchase books/DVDs and I perceive it an a leveler of educational equanimity.  I agree with SIDS comment re the buggy aspects of older books and I prefer to own mine for several reasons, but not everyone has that option.  It was a gift that I was exposed to libraries as a young child and I think was instrumental in my love of learning.  Most of my books serve as research and I'm not much of a fiction reader so Kindles have never been a priority.  Even if I'm not in a library very often, I support their critical necessary existence as an institution.

[SWEET]

Before I retired in October, 2015, I used to go to my library at least 2x a week.  Since then, went to my local once because I'm trying to catch up on my books I haven't read for years and have been winning on Goodreads and LibraryThing so no need.  Haven't used their elibrary as yet and refuse to read anything but paper.  LOL.  Not a converter yet to ebooks yet. Might be a long time too.

I know if I went to the library, I'd get tons of books since I'm way behind in my books that I haven't read in years (way before I stopped going).  Yet, I keep adding books to my list.

[kitty45]

My library offers more than just books.  It offers ESL classes, citizenhip classes, small business seminars, literacy classes, passport services, computer classes even free eye exams!  And much more. 

[Judaline]

@sunalaI agree with everything you said. It's a zoo. And the people who just come in to use the computers? Add them to the list. Do you remember the big signs in the library  that said, Shhhhhhh.......with a lady on the sign holding a finger to her lips? What the heck happened. It irks me no end to go there but I try and get that old feeling back. Mostly now it's, get in and get out. Pick up my "hold" and scram. I once asked the librarian what happened to the idea that we were supposed to be quiet in the library. She just laughed. I just left.

[maggi the cat]

While I agree that people are more disrespectful about noise at the libraries now, I will never read books on an electronic device.  I grew up with a mother who took us to the library weekly from a young age, and I love going today.   I want to hold the book, look through the book before I choose one, and the friendliness of library assistants.  I hate to see people say no to libraries and sit on their chairs and look at another electronic device to read.

[mackie]

Yes.  In fact I work part-time at the library where I live.  No kindle for me as I love holding a book.  I do still buy special books but not like I use to.. I've read many more books this way. And the library is Free.  They are a great resource and value in this daly and age with higher & higher prices on everything.  I hope we never out teck a real book. Librarys offer a lot of help to patrons too.

[SeaMaiden]

No. But when I drive by my local library, the parking lot is always full, so I imagine  many people do go. 

[FastDogWalker2]

Yes!  I have a kindle and love it but I go at least once a week to the library.  Love to read the magazines and also check out books to read before bed.