(no subject)

[mamculuna]

See zoethe's recent post on her daughter's feelings about reading books from libraries for lots of extreme views on either side. Her daughter thinks "reading library books is like...touching a stranger's underwear." (Hope she doesn't mind the quote) I, on the other hand, couldn't live without library books. Call me non-fastidious...or possibly stingy. Or just generally poor.

Comments

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

I love big libraries, but I'm not a big fan of checking out books. I don't even have a library card for my local town library. It's too small and has almost nothing I'm interested in.

I like browsing. Browsing in big libraries with open stacks is great. The bookstores these days are so much better than what I had access to when I was a kid. I enjoy never having to bring books that I like, back. ;o)

Yes, I do have a room in my house I call the library.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

I'm extremely fortunate that my city has (surprise) an excellent, nationally-recognized public library, better than what I can get to in Chicago. 90% of what I want to read in the way of novels at least is available there--and there's a reasonably good research-level university library within walking distance (one reason I keep being an adjunct, though my husband still has full faculty privilege). The library situation is one of the best things about living here.

[buffyannotater.livejournal.com]

Hehehehe, to be honest, I've had the same thoughts about library books. I kind of feel like the books are passed around too much. I don't know where they've been. I don't know how clean the people who had them before me were, etc etc.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Of course, I'm a person who doesn't mind buying used clothes (including nightgowns and socks, but I draw the line at underwear!) so I'm pretty impervious.

However, I do sometimes see dirt in library books that makes me turn the page quickly.

[maeve-rigan.livejournal.com]

OMG. Srsly! Everyone has her issues, I guess. I hated having to wear second-hand clothes as a child, and even today, when friends rave about the bargains to be had at thrift-shops, I just express admiration, knowing it's something I'll never do.

Library books, though--LOVE them. I read dozens of books I have NO interest in owning, and couldn't possibly afford. I only buy a book if (A) I think I'm going to want to read it more than once, or (B) I'm traveling and need a quick fix. I often take library books on the road, if I'm driving and don't have to worry about space or weight restrictions. The library also gives me free access to audio-books which, in my penny-pinching state, I can't afford to rent, and certainly am not going to purchase.

I do wish my local library had a larger and more up-to-date collection, but they're doing the best they can, I suppose. And inter-library-loan is my friend.

I suspect, however, that if zoethe's daughter were mine, I'd probably have as much sympathy for her sniffy attitude toward library books as my thrifty mother did for my opinion about second-hand clothes. But all that achieved was to give me a complex! :-)