Do you use your local library much?

[Cloud44]

Ive recently discovered our local library and I’ve popped in a few times to borrow books but I wondered if anyone else spends more time in their local library than just popping in? I’ve seen a few people in there relaxing and reading books but I don’t know if I’d feel a bit uncomfortable sat there by myself reading for an hour or so?!

Used to - when my children were young (adults now) and when I used to read actual books but now I read on my kindle plus the library opening hours have been severely reduced to the point with working it’s almost impossible to get there anyway

I use it, but usually just pop in unless it's for a proper activity or event that is being held at the library.

We went to a library in the next county to us. There seem to be a lot of children playing and colouring and doing jigsaws there. The library seemed to have a really happy, welcoming vibe. However, one think they did have there which seemed a bit out of place was a piano. I thought that was a bit too noisy for a library having kids messing about on a piano.

Anyway, I seem to have gone off on a tangent! Not really sure you wanted to know all that!

I never found much I wanted to read in there and don't like having to finish a book within a specified time frame

If your library has an online presence, your library account will give you the chance to extend the loan with a click. Ours only doesn't allow for this if someone has already reserved it online- in which case it has to go back on time so they can have it.

I extend a lot of loans

On another library thread on here, someone said their had sewing machines to loan. You use them there, but can reserve them and go in and use them in a designated room.

Well I got a library ticket, but solely so that I can read newspapers for free online. I never actually visit the library.

Do you know about the Library browser extension https://www.libraryextension.com/ which gives you a little add when you're browsing e.g. Amazon to tell you if what you're looking at is available in your library?

We go every week with DDs.

I wouldn't sit and read in there but it's not set up for that anyway. There are some little seats in the children section but in the adult section there aren't any chairs behind some office ones at the computers.

I run it 😁

We are quite a small village library, but open 6 days a week (half of those volunteer run), which means people come to us from outside the village. One thing I pride myself on is really knowing my customers & making them feel welcome. If elderly Miss P, who uses the computer every day, doesn't come in, I know to ask around in case she is unwell, etc. Also the building itself is historic & beautiful, as is the village.

We offer books, ebooks, audiobooks & can reserve from hundreds of other libraries for free. You can read the paper, do our puzzle, have free hot drinks & biscuits, use our PCs, printer & photocopier & scanner. We have toys for children including Lego. We have recycling points for batteries, small electrical items & ink cartridges.

We also run clubs & activities including Book Clubs, Scrabble, Rhyme Time, Craft, Yoga & more. Schools visit when we are closed. We have posters up promoting community events.

I'm sure there's more, but that's us in a (large) nutshell. I love my job, but I do wish it paid more than just above NMW!

Lovely thread, thanks OP! I love my library ( not just because I work there!), and it was so busy today- getting back to pre-COVID numbers it seems.
Lovely to see how much our libraries mean to so many people.

No. I have at least 100 unread books on my bookshelves.

I did until a couple of years ago when I bought a kindle.

Ours is a community hub so it’s where our post office is, there is free tea and coffee, board games to play and plenty of seating so I have really noticed how busy it has become in the last few years.

I go in probably weekly, sometimes just me, sometimes after school with the kids

Yes it's a good one

We used ours loads when the kids were at that age when they were exploring books lots but weren't sure what they liked..meant they could start a book but give it up if not enjoying it and just return it. Libraries are brilliant for readers growing in confidence.

It's a bit of a trek for us so we rarely go now the kids are grown. I buy books for myself. My DM uses hers to borrow ebooks for her kindle though which is great as she gets through masses of them.

No

As a teenager I used them a lot. I enjoyed another quiet space away from home where I could just melt into a book for a few hours in corner somewhere.

I download library books to my ereader and use the Pressreader app to read magazines and newspapers - so I rarely need to go into the library.

Ours is too inaccessible. It's in the middle of the city so you can't park nearby without paying a lot for parking after queuing for a space and books are heavy to carry.

If I could park outside the library without paying to do so then I would use it. Also though, books are cheap to buy secondhand.