Do you use your library?

There is more choice in the library than the charity shop and you can have more variety and more in quantity each week than you would ever get in a charity shop.

I do try and use my local libraries (RB Kensington & Chelsea) but I am absolutely appalled by the way the bookstock has been run down. My local one looks practically empty in both adult and childrens. I really feel that they are deliberately running it down as the private school next door has it's eye on the building. I had a look at the history section in the big central library and it was mostly military history. I was also surprised and annoyed to see historical fiction masquerading as history books.

I have recently discoved Marylebone library (as DD goes to classes at Sylvia Young) and it is absolutely fantastic, especially for non fiction. Loads of books I actually want to read!

I also hate the way the profession of librarian has been denigrated into something that any volunteer can do. It isn't about stamping books, it is about managing information.

I too have a Kindle but in all honesty I still prefer books.

oh, and, you get to help a good cause over and over and over, because when you're done with the books (those you don't want to keep and reread forever. Got a few of those ), you donate them and someone else can buy them, and you choose some others.

Depends if you think the joy is the library or the book.

I love books. can't get enough of them. I go to charity shops not a library. The children choose books from the charity shops.

The joy, for me, is in the reading, not the library. I love the smell of a musty old book too

I don't see how you can have DCs and not give them the joy of a library and the ability to choose their own books.

I use mine: in the local library 2-3 times a week with DS (admittedly sometimes just so I have somewhere warm to sit and breastfeed). Its a tiny village library which is only open 4 half-days per week. Working my way through all of the stock and it also means that I can freely borrow from the city library whenever I go into town, knowing that I can return to a local library.

We also get emails 2 days before the books are due back, gives me chance to get them renewed online (a 3 click process) or returned if someone else has dared to ordered them.

I go twice a week to our library - Saturday mornings with all the children then on Tuesday mornings DD and I go to storytime which she loves.

We are quite lucky that we can go to any of the libraries within the city or county with our card. The staff are friendly and I like it better than the uni library.

One of the great things about moving back to an English speaking country was being able to use the library again.

And I've really fallen on my feet, 35 books at a time, order any book from any other of the city libraries for free. Open 7 days a week. Great selection in the library (and the other ones that can be ordered!). Can renew, order etc online too. it's very well used by all ages. There's even a queue outside the door some mornings which I love.

I bought something on my kindle the other night for the first time since Christmas.

I love my library and I'm slowly indoctrinating DD1 into the cult of libraries too

(we're in NZ by the way if anyone was wondering where this nirvana was...)

Nope.

My two options are the library that is in the local secondary school 5 miles away and which you have to sign in to go to and be escorted to and from and the library bus that stops in the car park in the village on a Thursday. Usually.

I think I'll stick with my charity shop runs. 10 books for a quid.

I have onnly recently got into using mine properly. It is small and only opens in the afternoons which is not as practical as mornings for me so I got fed up of dragging everyone there, browsing and not finding much for myself (kids selection is very good). Now though I have discovered the online catalogue so I have all the books from the whole county at my fingertips and with one click of the request button I can have them winging their way to my local library for pick up. I'm addicted . I've been able to use it for the dcs too. This summer they have a summer reading challange on for the dcs so they are signed up to that.

I get ebooks from the library too, all for free, from home and you can't be late returning as the disappear after the 3 weeks.

Yes I do, we have a small library, but it's very well used. A lot of the local schools are very involved and the library hosts Poets and Writers work shops for the children. Brilliant.

iknowwho, our library now lends ebooks - worth looking into for you?

seems like £1 to order a book is a bit pricey in comparison.

It's free for anyone to order library books here :)

No.

It is cheaper for me to buy a book second hand off Amazon than it does to go into town,park up and pay and then repeat the journey when I have read the book. Even if I get the bus or train it's still cheaper to buy.

I don't need any of the other services. I stream movies and music so I don't need to rent dvds or cds.

Personally I won't miss libaries but I do understand how relevant and important they are to people.

Yes, DD and I go for rhyme time every week and I borrow books for myself.

My library is in a temporary venue after the proper building was vandalised and has been closed ever since, and the next closest is threatened with closure too. Damn Tories for their cuts, Damn Labour for getting us into this recession and damn vandals....

Use our local libraries all the time for DC (mostly) and myself. It can be difficult to get a specific adult book (craft ones) as they're always out. You have to pay to reserve it, which I'm not a big fan of so never do. But for the DC its perfect. I would be gutted if my libraries closed.

Yes although it's only a small library so not masses of choice. What is great though, is being able to order a book You want and only being charged £1. Children can order books free of charge.

Would be really if the library closed so make sure I use it.

I use the library (do get fines sometimes but that is my fault for forgetting to renew them - it is v easy to do online). DC enjoy using it and signed up for the Story Lab Reading Challenge last week.

I find non fiction books are v good to get from the library - just got an Olympics one which I would never have bought and have enjoyed very much :)

occasionally use local library take kids
but I buy books I want haven't borrowed in years