I know that I have blogged before about preferring to own a book over checking it out from the library. Years ago, all of my books came from the library, but, now it simply takes me longer to finish a book, and sometimes I am not in the right mood to read a particular book. So, actually owning the book just works out better for me… I can pick and choose what I want, when I want it. My library has provided an endless number of hours of reading enjoyment to me, but, as usual, I can find a few things to complain about….
My library probably does what most libraries do… they put that crinkly plastic cover on the books. I absolutely hate those covers! Since I do a lot of reading in bed, I find that those plastic covers make too much noise. And, since my library doesn’t want the patrons to lose the covers, they actually glue/paste the loud plastic covers onto the actual book. When I own a book, I take the paper cover off of it while I am reading it, which enables me to read while my husband is asleep.
On to my next point of annoyance… and this is by no means the library’s fault…. Do some library patrons really need to eat spaghetti while reading a book that doesn’t belong to them? And when I say "eat spaghetti" I mean right over the book. It really saddens me when I see a virtually new book from the library with stains all over the pages. I am sorry that libraries don’t have the right to simply charge people when they damage a book… But, I guess that there are enough unscrupulous people out there who would say that the book came to them that way… fully knowing that they had damaged the book, but not wanting to pay for that damage.
Another thing that my library tried (for several years) was to put a white sticker on the back of the book’s cover where they would stamp the due date. That was probably the most effective way for the patrons to be able to see the due date quickly, but I always wondered why the person adhering the sticker to the back of the book (on to the crinkly plastic cover) didn’t use some judgement and not put the white label onto the book’s description.
As I proof read this blog I see one thing is sure… Libraries are great places where we can get hours of entertainment, and people (like me!) tend to look gift horses in the mouth and actually try to find problems! The local libraries of all of the places my family has lived have been pretty terrific, and, I guess that when I can think of nothing bigger than crinkly plastic covers and a few words hidden under a white sticker, then… shame on me!
Chris Forman says
Danna, I am a huge fan of the public libraries and have used them quite a bit over the years. However, there is certainly a preference to owning a book as opposed to borrowing one and compelling reasons include; you know where it’s been, you can read it anytime, you can take your time reading it, your bookshelf looks cool and you look intelligent. Another reason that came to mind a few years ago is that you support the publishing industry. I was once in a book store when a well heeled couple was looking at a book. The wife said, “I’ll just get this from the library. “ The husband replied, “No. If people like you don’t buy books then books will stop being written.” An interesting comment and I am biased. Chris
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Chris,
I like all of your reasons for owning a book…especially the one I hadn’t thought of… Anything that helps make me look intelligent is all right by me!
As for supporting authors… I am all for that, too!