Where do you get your books? Do you use the library?

[Bbq1]

During my childhood through to about age 35, I regularly used the library. When ds (now 20) was young, we used the library at least monthly. I haven't been in years. I'm 52 now, a voracious reader, have 2 huge overflowing bookshelves and for years have bought my books from Amazon/Waterstones Nothing beats receiving a lovely pristine new book through the door or browsing and buying in a bookshop. However, with the col I'm considering returning to the library again to save money. Does anyone here who reads use the library as opposed to buying books new?

I always use the library, big believer in use it or lose it. My local library is decent and we have several in our area and can borrow most books I’ve wanted to read.
Easy to request online and can usually pick up a few days later. They also have an option to suggest titles to buy.
You can wait a while for popular new titles, for example L J Ross is popular at ours and I’m around 60 out of 125.

And each to their own but I find some people are incredibly snobby about reading ebooks. It’s just a preference. I can read several books in a week and I don’t want to lug them around,

Plus if they are on kindle unlimited, they can go straight back if they are crap or if I finish them.

No. Unfortunately it's inconvenient and lacking in choice. I use a Kindle. I don't buy actual paper books any more, because my bookcases are full, even after a massive cull and trip to the charity shop. I would rather read actual books, but the ability to just instantly buy the exact book I want at the touch of a screen, to be able to read it anywhere (on my phone if I don't have my Kindle) and not cluttering my house up, outweigh that. I'm not much of a spendthrift in general, so I don't mind spending money on books.

Exactly this! And the fact it recommends next reads and things

I know this will disgust the purists, but I'm a self-confessed Kindle convert! I have Unlimited membership and can easily get though 4-5 books a month, so I get great value out of it.

Recently, a new-release book that I wanted was actually cheaper to buy in hardback, rather than the Kindle format, and I thought it would be naice to hold a physical, and shiny new, book again for a change. How wrong was I? I grappled with it on my lap and couldn't find a comfortable position to read the text clearly. And don't get me started on the number of times I boshed myself on the head with it, dropping it whilst trying to read in bed.

My trusty Kindle enables me to read in any position in bed, whilst I stay snugly bundled up under the duvet.

I don't work for Kindle, by the way. Reading this post back, maybe I should approach them.....

I use the libby app to read library books on my kobo. You can also use the libby app for audible books.

Nah screw them! I can read several books a week on a good week, have been reading since the age of 3 and the convenience of Kindle is amazing. I can read on my phone if I don’t have my kindle with me and also can read at night without the light on!

Library, charity shops, book exchange at local cafe, online selling, second hand book shops and actual bookshops. I'll usually only buy a book at full price if I know I'm going to read it multiple times.

I'm not adverse to spending £3 on something from a charity shop which I'll donate again after I've read it.

I don't know if it applies where you live but we have 'extended hours access' in our library. You sign up for it and then can use your library card to get into the library when it's closed. Sundays, early evening and early mornings I often have the place to myself, heating's on, there's a coffee machine and comfy chairs. It's a lovely way to relax for an hour or two.

Library, every time. I read a lot and would never be able to afford buying them all new and even second hand can add up. Browsing the library is one of my favourite things to do.

Mostly kindle daily deal

I do use the library as well - I take the kids most weeks and have a quick browse for myself at the same time

What if you start reading them and realise they aren’t that good?

I use the library a lot for children's books. I read very slowly so I don't use it for my own books because I don't feel confident about finishing the book before I have to return it.

I couldn't afford to buy all the books I read. I use a library at least once a week. The ordering system means you have such a choice of books and as I keep my eye on new releases I order ahead and am often the lucky person who has the 'new book' experience free of charge.

Using the library makes me more adventurous about what I read. I'm more willing to try a book I'm unsure about than I would be if it was £20 a pop.

When I go to other cities and towns I often visit their central library. There's often a cafe and it's a good place for a relax, read and a mooch. Chester's library at Storyhouse blew my mind recently. What a place.

Another reason I use the library is to avoid sending my money to Jeff Bezos and more recently America.

You can extend the loan period many times @Whatnameisif to take the pressure off. I renew mine on line, sometimes multiple times. The only time this doesn't work is if someone else has the book on order (which isn't often).

Tbf I would rather send my tenner a month to Jeff Bezos and have the choice of thousands of books, recommendations and the ability to return it instantly and download another. Each to their own.

Plus I read while watching TV and knitting so I can just prop up my kindle and I’m away!

Take them back and get something else. Even better as I haven't spent anything on it so can take more of a punt which I wouldn't do if I were buying it.

I do also have a Kindle and so if I find something I love and would read again from the library I will get it from the Kindle store when it's on 99p sale.

I either buy books (new or secondhand) or I download them to my Kindle. We were never a library-using family and I CBA to reserve books and then have to drop everything and read them when they become available and have a time limit on how long I have them. That simply doesn't suit me, although if I couldn't afford to do anything else then of course that's what I would do.

I use my library weekly, borrowbox and libby for ebooks. I also buy a few on kindle and buy way too many books from opshops.

Our library is very generous with automatic renewals (if nobody is waiting) and no fines ever.

Isn’t having to physically take them back and get something else a pain though?

I am also a great supporter of the 99p Kindle deals like you though 😂

Me too. You can read a wide variety of magazines on Libby, as well. They seem to have a lot of audio books. I'd be very surprised if Liverpool libraries don't have Libby, or similar.

There are hundreds of millions of books in British libraries and you can order ebooks, audiobooks and emagazines) on line through the library website. Costs nowt.

As you say, each to their own. Enjoy your reading.

I did until last year but had something weekly near the library which I don’t anymore. I am not doing a 6 mile round trip for a visit. I buy mine in charity shops and donate back. I also had a few waiting to be read.

All the time, I'm going tomorrow to take books back and get more out. The big library I use is in the next town has a nice cafe so I use that at weekends sometime when meeting my friend.

They also display local artists works, I've bought several paintings from there in the past.

Kindle! Couldn't live without it.