I used to spend my life in libraries, but don't in recent years (not counting university libraries, of course, where I hang out far too much). I don't read much fiction - that which I do, I want to own. This is partly because of my poor (read: dyslexic) reading speed - I used to run out of allowed renewals on my library books - but also because we just like collecting books. Bookshops make it quite affordable to buy most of what you read, and it's lovely to be able to read things over and over if I want to. The Girl is making a home library out of her study in the new house. She buys a lot more than I do.

Pay for ILL above and beyond the per-page price? Wow, I have been out of, um, circulation.

Gah, dcj. I hope that lets up soon. I hate that!

Laga, this is an unusual situation because of the $10. Most ILL will be $2 from my local library. Unfortunately my local library branch is pretty small so the likelihood I'd need to page it from elsewhere goes up. I have library privileges as UCLA as an alumni assoc member but it's not easy for me to get over to that side of LA.

I'm paging the book from the Humboldt State University library. Actually, it's not a book but a student paper. I was told that if our library belonged to their particular coalition, the fee would be lower. But my library doesn't belong to that so it's $10.

Even $2 seems like a lot. Most of the books I'm reading these days (hello, Sookie Stackhouse) I could get for $1 at the resale shop.

Yeah, it's a lot for a paperback.

I'm sad I had to part with most of my books. Esp when Half Price didn't even appreciate many of them (loads of fantasy and some sci-fi along with non-fiction, etc.)

yeah it was hard for me to get rid of so many books when I moved but I just don't have the space for them now.

I've had to part with books on every move I've made. I've always built up again at each place. But I think this time it won't be happening. My future financial prospects (and thus ability to afford a decent-sized place) are too bleak.

That's one thing about digital books - there are no used ones you can buy cheaper.

Why am I not sleepy? My parents went to bed 4 hours ago and I didn't bring the book I'm reading because I thought I had another to pick up at the library but it wasn't in yet. I think I'll curl up with this cookbook of "American and Canadian recipes by the American/Canadian club of Durban SA" I just found and see if that can put me to sleep.

sleepy~ma, co-bitches

Ya'lls libraries suck. I can put up to 15 items (books, dvds, cds, whatev) on hold and they'll get transferred from whatever county branch has the next available copy at no cost. If no branch has it, then i'm SOL and go buy it online or at Powells. I can't imagine having to pay more than cover price on a trade paperback to borrow something from the library :( But i do love mine and use it heavily. Like, i pretty much always have 15 items on hold at any given time and at least 2 items checked out. I can't imagine what i'd do without it...borrow more from friends and waste astonishing amounts on books that would just clutter up my nice neat shelves.