How often do you use your local library?

[Ricekrispiebun]

I have only got back into going to the library since lockdown lifted but have been really enjoying it and I always feel like getting new books for free is like a present. Also if I discover new authors, I am then able to buy their books.

Sadly so many smaller libraries have been closing so I hope to keep going regularly becase it would be a shame for such a great service to close

Once a month or so. I’m getting back into the habit after the soulless experience of going when it reopened after the first lockdown.

I’ve nearly finished my pile of second hand books.

Every second saturday with my two kids, sometimes in the week alone.
I love going with children and exploring new picture books, saves money because I know which authors to buy later.

I don't think I've used it since the council tendered it out to volunteers, the opening hours are very scanty and not family-friendly.

I used to love it a decade ago when DS1 was a baby, and used it for "Rhyme Time" and just breaking up the afternoon with a walk and a bit of social contact.

(And no, I'm not volunteering for a 5th organisation each week)

I'm going with kiddos regularly every month- our kids love it there and they have an amazing selection of books.

DD16 and I both usually have library books on the go so probably go in about once a fortnight.

@InTheNightWeWillWish

I do love the library by the way, I think it’s a wonderful service but with cuts to library services it’s hard to visit small, local ones when you’re working full time Mon-Fri. Which creates a vicious cycle.

Yes, I agree. Was the same with ours. It was only open Mon, Wed, Friday, 10-12 and 2-4. Completely useless for people who work and very limited use for school children. I really don't know what they were thinking when they set those hours. Unsurprisingly, it closed down "due to lack of users", but the village set up a campaign to have it re-opened and it was re-opened by a local voluntary group, assisted by the Parish Council, and when it re-opened it was 9-5 Mon-Sat, and it was a hell of a lot busier, even though it didn't have the bells and whistles of a proper county library (i.e. no facility to order books from other libraries, no e-books, etc) - it was very simple, just lots of racks of books and a few PCs/Printers. Unfortunately, covid struck and it had to close during the lockdowns/restrictions, and then struggled with the social distancing etc when allowed to re-open, especially as a lot of the staff were elderly/vulnerable, and it's never really recovered, so highly likely to close down again. Lots of the staff will never be back, either because they've died or because they're ECV and will never be happy working in that environment again - with it being closed so long, it needs a proper re-launch, as until covid is no longer a problem, that's not going to happen.

I pretty much always have something on loan via the Libby app. I basically only go to the physical library when I really want something specific I can't get via Libby, so probably only once or twice a year.

Often. Our library is fab.
Dcs have attended for years, they did rhyme and story time as babies and toddlers, various crafts and activity sessions, coding clubs. When dcs were older, they volunteered there to help out with homework club for younger children.
I also use it if I have to print a lot of colour paper.
Of course, all the books. Ebooks and audiobooks too. Download audiobooks for long car journeys.

Rarely, though I walk past it most days.

Weekly. Ours has late night Monday, stays open til 7pm.

I loved moving here, literally a couple of hundred yards aways from it. I can lug a bag of books home as often as I want 😁

Haven't got back since the coronaclosures. Now hooked on ereader and public domain ebooks so doubt I'll return

We are members of two different libraries and will visit one of them each week.

Ours (Scotland) is still running a very restricted in-person service. Visiting/browsing hours are ridiculous (3/5 weekdays - 10am-1pm; not great when you're at work until 5pm!) and your visit needs to be booked in advance and is limited to 30 mins max. They also advise not to touch books you don't intend to borrow (How am I supposed to read the blurb???). So basically you pretty much need to know which books you want before you get there.

I borrow e-books and audiobooks now from them via the Borrowbox app. I would LOVE for my library to return to normal. Used to spend ours in there on a Saturday but now they're only open on weekdays. Covid must be more contagious on Saturdays.

Once a week at least. Our service has been been brilliant during the last two years, even during closures they offered a reserve and collect service.

The staff are all wonderful, so friendly and helpful. They run events and clubs and nothing ever seems too much trouble.

Plus, libraries are one of the only public places I can just go and sit and do nothing if I want. I think libraries are amazing.

I absolutely love libraries, being a school librarian before I retired. Where we lived previously my husband and I used it at least once a week, he volunteered there helping people learn computer skills and was Father Christmas every year!

Where we live now the library is literally five minutes down the road. This week we have introduced our two year old grandson to the library and he took out a book with Grandad's 'magic' card!!!! I can't tell you the joy it gave us to see him loving the library - hopefully it will set him up with a lifetime love of libraries, books and reading. It's such a shame as yet there aren't any toddler groups applicable, but hopefully they will come back soon. I sent a video of him to my daughter showing him with the books shouting 'book' and she said 'oh dear, he's so noisy'. I said to her, libraries aren't the quiet places they used to be, they've absolutely moved with the times!

Excitingly in our nearest city there are plans afoot to convert a large empty department store into a building for the University with a new library, very exciting. We always visit libraries when we're out and about and love the libraries in Bristol and Worcester.

We both belong to two library apps - I must say Libby is fab. Libraries and their apps are a wonderful resource. Long may they continue.

our local library has been a covid test centre since this began. The council are looking to close libraries to save money, and I doubt this will ever be returned to us. The local police had an office in it, so that's gone, and I have no idea where the nearest police station is now. If such a creature even exists.

We go about twice a month, sometimes more often. It's open until 5/6 weeknights and then until 1pm on a Saturday dc are able to order in books from other libraries for free and they do an ebook app with we don't really use.

Our big library in town is open 8am until 11pm every day. Combines a cinema, theatre, cafe/restaurant and library in one.

I used to go every fortnight with the dcs before the first lockdown and they always borrowed lots of books, our library is in a lovely big park so we’d have a walk around there at the same time.

We’ve been lucky in that although the hours have been reduced it’s not by much and it was more the late openings that they took away, but we haven’t used it at all since then. I’ve moved completely online with book borrowing and prefer to use the account I have with the library at my old address in a different part of the U.K. as the catalogue is a lot better.

Once a month.

I don’t at all.

The opening times are a bit funny, and it’s a pain taking books back. Perhaps when DS is older (still only 13.5 months so a bit young.)

Every month or so with 3yo to switch over his books. I use Libby and BorrowBox for ebooks as well. I've got such a backlog of print books I was given for Christmas that I haven't borrowed any of those for a while.

Every week or so, to collect all the books I have reserved online. My borough is in the London library consortium so there is almost no book they can't get for you, including out of print mid century stuff that isn't on Kindle (thank you Luton stacks!).

I also use Libby and Borrowbox, mainly for audio books. For reading I prefer physical books

@TheYearOfSmallThings I use the reserve system too. Its fantastic! I'm a real book worm and it can be a surprisingly expensive hobby if I was to purchase everything I borrow. It stops my book clutter at home from going crazy too. Library loans also support authors, the more an author is lent they earn a fee from this.
I love the e-books, magazines and exploring the online resources. And heavily borrow picture books for my kids also. Visiting the library is part of our routine most weeks. Keep using and supporting your libraries everyone :)

Very very often when my dc was small, then once a week during primary.
Lockdown made us to stop, and haven't been since. But we should start again.
Thanks for reminding.

Really interesting reading this. I work in libraries, so have a different perspective on this to others.

Where I live & work, in Essex, there are over 70 libraries, including village libraries, town libraries & mobile units. None have been shut. The village one which is my main place of work is open every day Mon-Sat, some days till 5/5.30pm (including Saturday), some days just morning or afternoon. Some of these are volunteer sessions but you can still do most things with volunteers.

We are associated with the London consortium so can order books from there as well as county wide. We offer a wide range of services from photocopying to book groups to recycling batteries to Rhyme Time & Scrabble Club and much much more. My colleagues & I will always offer a personal service & talk each customer through what they want or need, even if that is just directions or a chat because they are lonely. At the village library I make refreshments, for a voluntary contribution, for each activity group that comes in.

I am also going to chat to school headteachers, after half term, to try & arrange with them free weekly sessions where classes can visit the library.

I love my job 😍