In praise of libraries

[sandybay]

Libraries are worth every penny in council tax.

Today I got a copy of 'One day in the life' as recommended by Clunk, ordered Rosa's recommendation 'The Mists of Avalon'
Also came home with 'The Quest. History and Meaning in Religion by Mircea Eliade, a book on the philosophy of ethical living, and AC Grayling's 'What is Good. The search for the ebst way to live'. In all a hundred pounds worth of books to read and no worries about where to store them. [Book shelf shortgage here].

Not much would inspire me to march on Downing Street these days but if libary funding is cut back then I would.

Do you use your library ?

[Crocus]

Definitely! Haven't been to the library for almost 4 weeks though. Was to taken up by my mum being ill, my sister's visit and all the rest. xxx

[eleanor2]

i take my grandson every friday. he picks about 5 books. sometimes a d.v.d or two.our library has sofas and coffee machine.it is well used by adults and children alike.well worth having.

[lily]

We have an excellent library in Tavistock, good choice of books, helpful staff. Yesterday was very busy as the rain was non stop. Looking forward to taking my grandson in a year or two. I think several libraries have been under threat recently but there are always huge protests when this happens. I would definitely get quite militant if this were to happen locally!

[sandybay]

We'll start the Libraries Liberation Front' if the government tries to cut back services.

[Crocus]

I'm off to the library tomorrow - see what's new and interesting. x

[sandybay]

Does yours have a section where they place the new books Crocus ?
I always think the books returned by others are interesting.
It's a shame they don't ask you to put little review cards on the front for other readers.

[Crocus]

Yes, we do Sandy. Also every week there's a different topic being highlighted and all books on this topic will then be displayed. I usually go for the new books first - see what's new etc. x

[eleanor2]

we are in the middle of having a new library built in our local town.should be posh.

[Sarahc]

I go to our library regularly wit teh children although I never really have time to look at books for me they are great places for children. Ours has all sorts of Rhyme Times and Story Telling and is very welcoming. Its not very big and they don't have many facilities but always make us very welcome. I had to chuckle the other day when the children were being a bit noisy in their appreciation of the books and I apologised to the librarian and she replied that it was good to see people actually enjoying the books as the majority of people only go in to use the computers these days.

[baab95]

We use our local library regularly. My eldest is often there getting books relating to school projects, and the youngest enjoys story time. To overcome the problem Sarahc encounters, my MIL has started borrowing books for me at her library. This way I manage to read books, and the children get to enjoy their time there. Our library tends to have a display just inside the front door, it's often themed and showcases new books. Sandy- I too like to have a look at the returns trolley. It often means you pick up something that you wouldn't ordinarily read.

[Firefly]

I'm a great fan of libraries - having lived abroad I know how lucky we are to have our libraries. I love choosing books although do not always read them all. I can go on line to renew them and also reserve books on line - you just need a passcode from the library.

I also get audio books from my library which I am really addicted to. Great value at £1 for three weeks. I would be up there with the banners if the councils ever tried to cut back on them.

[Crocus]

I can't live without our local library! All new books are displayed on a special shelve. Every month a different theme is selected, and all books available on the subject are then displayed as well.

[Firefly]

Something my local library has been doing for the last year or so is having a magazine swap box just inside the door. We take magazines we have read and pick up magazines that others have left. Great idea - given the price of magazines. We share them and they don't just get thrown away. As I prefer reading a book a magazine is a waste of money as far as I am concerned but if I have not paid for it and can put it back in the box when I have finished I don't mind.

[MrZebra]

I used to go to the library very regularly when I was in school. When I was at university, again I always had books out from the library (at least in the first year or two, after that there was too much work.)
Since leaving education and starting work, I've barely been in a library. One reason is that there aren't libraries around here that cater to my needs - the books I'd like to read are too technical and specialized for them to carry, and ordering them is a hassle. The other reason is that I'm just too busy! I am constantly working on one thing or another, and when I do get chance to read a book it's a always textbook, not fiction.

Firefly, I too don't like magazines. They pass the time, but you end up with a huge pile of them. They somehow seem too good to just throw away, and yet you know you'll never read them because you'd have to plough through a ton of rubbish to find anything of interest.

[Crocus]

I love my UK magazines like Country Homes and Interiors, Heritage, Period Ideas for your Home, etc. For me it's an important link to the UK! xxx

[Firefly]

I would agree to that Crocus - when I lived in France I used to subscribe to GH and as you say it was a link with the UK. Do you subscribe to the magazines or do friends send them to you?

[Crocus]

No, I buy it from a bookstore about 150 km away from home. Awefull isn't?! If the magazines are more than 3 months old, the bookstore sell it at a large discount, which makes it very affordable. I think it's dated stock from the UK which are sent to this particular bookstore chain.
I'm like a little girl with a brand new doll (and dollshouse) with these magazines and usually can hardly wait to get home! It takes a lot of selfdiscipline not to page through them in the car! I leave them the bag, put it on my bedside table. Then I start to wish for it to be bedtime! I just love going to bed at night, knowing there's magazines waiting to be paged through and I almost climb right into it! Oh dear. Addicted or what :eek:....... It's all the UK's fault.........:D

[dragonfly]

I don't go to libraries very often, I buy books from charity shops. I like gardening magazines. I also buy doll and dolls house magazines (often picked up cheaply at fairs), they have projects and paterns and good ideas.

[Crocus]

I remember when I was at school how much time I spent at the local library because of assignments for school. Now it so easy to get info via internet, but this unfortunately takes away the fact that the children have to go to the library, search for the books or encyclopedia they need, and go to the trouble of writing down the info they need. This may all sound like the long way of doing it, but I do believe it teaches children other skills too. Amongst that of patience, how a library works, how to search for info needed, etc. etc. When I was at school we had 1 or 2 periods per week learning everything about libraries etc. at the school's library. I was a library prefect as well. Nowadays schools don't have libraries anymore as far as I can gather! x

[Rustic Pumpkin]

Well, in an effort to turn over a new leaf (or is that page?) I joined my local library this morning. Checked out an armful of books, mostly reference and craft, and have now discovered that I can access all manner of things on line for reference and research etc! Instead of buying more and more craft books (!) I can now get them for nothing and use them for three weeks. Great!

It is only open two days a week and is in a very small space, not much bigger than a small living room, but it amazing what joining can get you in the way of accessing on line libraries!

[Cheryl]

Well, way to go and congratulations RP. I am a HUGE library advocate. You will wonder what took you so long...

cheryl

[Crocus]

Hi RP! A very good decision indeed! Before long you will be addicted to that small space! xxx