In a recent poll (okay, perhaps it was a meme), I asked how often you visit your local library. The responses varied from "never" to at least twice monthly. So on the heels of that post, I offer a few tips for maximizing your local library.
- My local library is part of a network of libraries in our area. This means I can search online for titles, and request them for pickup at my location. Of course, I can do this from the comfort of my own home. I just requested 3 or 4 titles tonight. Since I generally read by author, this makes it easy for me to find and read my favs.
- I've signed up for e-notices, which means I get a friendly little reminder a day or so before my books are due. If I don't have the time or am not quite ready to return them, I can renew them all online.
- I love being able to check out a DVD for an entire week for free! I usually save this for those multi-disc specials that I know will take me 3 or more hours to watch.
- There's nothing like a good library sale! However, there's nothing worse than the last day at said sale, when all the good bargains have been picked over and they're practically paying you to haul their discards away in the "bag sale." Avoid this frustration by making friends with your library and knowing when the sale is coming so you can be there when the doors open - literally.
- I'm sure my husband just loves the library, because, although he never visits except to ride me by to drop off books, he knows well that a trip to the library is one less trip to the bookstore!
- I should mention that my local library is actually pretty rinky-dink, so I frequent the library of the next community over. One card works for all libraries in the network!
- Not that I do a lot of research these days but the online reference is a great starting point for a wealth of resources, including job searches, genealogical links and much much more.
- I hate paying ridiculous newstand prices for magazines, so occasionally when the magazine bug hits, I'll check out the offerings at the library, which can be checked out, or I can photocopy recipes or articles I want to keep.
- The library I visit recently remodeled, and has several nice reading rooms in which COFFEE IS ALLOWED! It doesn't get any better than this!
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11 comments:
Oh, I love, love, LOVE my library too!!
I love the library too! Ours is in a old building that looks like a church. Munchkin calls it her "Castle" and says we get her books at the "Hibrary" in her Castle!
I would use the library more if they stocked the latest Christian fiction, but ours is years behind in that department. But sometimes it pays to make a suggestion. My mother-in-law is in a small town in Idaho, and frequently their library has bought books that she has asked for or recommends.
I have started catching up on some of the classics, like Jane Austen's books, and I love to check them out of the library.
Coffee in the reading room? That's almost as good as Borders! Thanks for sharing these tips - it's helping to motivate me to get with it as far as library visits go!
That's it. There's just no excuse for living in a new town for two years and not finding the local library. I'm going to find ours soon. You're so right. The library is a wonderful place. I'm ashamed of myself.
I love my library. I can spend hours in there! I use all the things you mentioned. One thing though about DVD rentals, all libraries are different, but at mine if you are late it's $2.50 a day to a max of 16.00 per DVD. One time I had 6 out and forgot and by the time I got them back I had a $48.00 bill. SSSHHH don't tell hubby! I almost choked!
Mine does not stock a bunch of my fave Christian authors but because they are connected to other libraries, I can "order" them and they'll have them there as soon as one comes available. A few times they have even brought them in from far away, from another library district and I didn't have to pay a cent. I've even requested certain books in a series which they have ordered and catalogued but that took a lot longer, months.
Great tips! I use the renewal service online all the time, and I was just thinking, "They should be able to email me if I have something overdue." I'm going to check into that.
We have a statewide system here, so it's great to browse online and just request the books I want, and they call me when they are in. That way I don't have to browse (with a toddler in tow).
I love my library too, but sadly it has really lame hours-early nights and no Sundays. But, I am on vacation and I needed the reminder to go to the library!
I love our library. Love it, except on days like today when I finally find the overdue library book that my kids managed to stash on their book shelf and end up shellin out $18.50 for their mitake.
Ma I also sugget baking cookies and taking them in occasionally to show you appreciate all the volunteers and lovely librarians who keep it going. I must say this makes them much more forgiving when you are a few days late or you kid messes up one of the tapes from an audio book. :)
Great tips from a fellow library lover!
Great tips, but I must say I'm very jealous! Your library doesn't sound "rinky dink" at all compared to mine. Mine doesn't allow me to request books online, just to search for them. I have to call or go in to get them transferred from another branch in our county. We don't have e-notices either, so I'm a bit envious of that nice feature. And HELLO, a reading room, and they allow coffee? Totally jealous!
I do love the library though, and love using their services like books, magazines and movies. I have been to a couple of library sales and really probably need to join (aka, pay) to be a "friend of the library" to get advance notice and admission to the sales. But, I'm with you - a trip to the library is always one less trip to the bookstore for me! :)
Great post!!!
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