As you know from reading my tags (which I’m sure you all do), I get a lot of my books from the public library. This is strategic on my part. As a graduate student who is a year away from having her PhD, I’m hoping (and working my butt off so) that in a year I will be packing all of my belongings and moving someplace else for a job. So, the fewer books I buy (and I love buying books) the fewer books I have to pack and move.
Plus, I have a lot of fun on the library’s website. I like to make lists of books I am interested in and then work my way through the lists. Recently, many of the books I’ve wanted have had waiting lists, so it is fun to put yourself on the list and then anticipate the book. You get an email telling you that it is your turn. It is a little like Christmas! So, this is the trade off. I don’t get to buy endless stacks of books but I do get to create lists and then pick up books at the library. As far as trades go, it is not bad.
There is one problem with this, though. When everything you’re waiting for becomes available at the same time. I currently have five things checked out from the library that our due in the next 5-12 days. They were all on waiting lists so I had to check them out or lose my spot on the list. I’ve only managed to start three of them and so far only managed to finish one of them. I guess I just need to read faster!
Also, I feel a little guilty that I have books checked out that I haven’t gotten to start yet that other people are waiting for.
Of course, if I don’t make it to the end of all of the books before I have to return them, I can always put myself back on the waiting list. This is something I had to do with Gilead. It doesn’t bother me to break up the reading of a book. I’m pretty well trained in reading more than one thing at a time and spreading the readings out.
Do you check books out from your public library? How do you feel about waiting lists? Are they a source of anticipation-creation or frustration? What is your favorite part of your public library? Join us in the comments!
2 Women, So Many Books 
I agree but my library has a 30 day borrowing period, so it is easier to read them and finish them. I can understand where you are coming from when feeling guilty. The only problem with waiting list is that their are usually 20 people before me and it hurts when I need the second book in the series.
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oh, man! I wish we had 30 day lending periods! ours are two weeks! and, it’s always the second in a series with a wait list! you can read the first one, no problem. but you have to wait for a second!
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See i have no patience. If I have to wait, I’ll just by the e-book. Of course, this was never a problem when I worked at the bookstore. The only thing I really miss about not working there.
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I do sometimes break down and buy the book. I bought All the Light We Cannot See because the waiting list is sooooooo long.
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