AIBU to think that the library needs to get its act together?

[carabos]

I am a member of a book club which often sets books that I wouldn't buy and don't really want to read. At the suggestion of another member, I have joined the library to get access to books that I don't want to keep.

I am disappointed at the crap service they offer. The actual joining process took half an hour , the librarian wrote my name on the back of the card as Mrs X Carabos [shock hmm] and two weeks later the book I have asked for still hasn't arrived, they don't know where it is and don't know when it is likely to land. It's "on the van" from another library 10 miles away.

I have given up and ordered the book from the local independent bookshop. It will be here tomorrow.

I know the library is subject to cuts, and that the service will suffer, but I think they should be realistic about their reduced offering, not blithely say that a book will arrive in a couple of days when there is no chance of that happening.

AIBU?

Do you have to pay for that service? Only asking as we have to pay £1 to reserve an adult book but I've never experienced problems like that either.

If you were unhappy with the name on your card did you ask for it to be changed?

Have you tried Amazon for your books, you can get most books secondhand for £2.80.

www.abebooks.co.uk is my lifeline for books. I always check on there first. As for the card, if you weren't happy with the name I'm sure they would have changed it for you. Our library is lovely luckily and I've never encountered what you've described so it could be possible it's an issue with staff rather than the library. Still, it must be irritating!

Your library doesn't sound as good as ours!

My library is better than yours....

Our book group itself has joined our local library. We reserve about 2-4 weeks ahead, order up to 10 books, have extended loans of 6 weeks on the books and don't pay for the service. However, due to recent cuts, service isn't what it used to be and it now transpires that the excellent service we used to have was all down to one member of staff who has now been retired off. Level of service is acceptable though.

You should check on the on-line library catalogue to get an idea of how many copies of a particular book you're after are available/how popular it is to gauge how quickly you might get a copy.

Otherwise, order second hand copies through eBay, Amazon or abebooks as suggested below.

JiltedJohnsJulie - she used her local independent bookshop in the end.

jilted I didn't notice the name on the card until today. That's not a huge issue, I just think its a bit odd.
beertricks yes it seems to have been a problem with the van (who knew that libraries run vans around the place carrying books? It's a whole other world!).
The staff are polite and friendly but perhaps trying too hard to be helpful rather than explaining the system and that delays occur.
However, they are efficiency personified compared with the opticians (whole other thread).

Our library is crap too. Never has anything I go in looking for. Where I used to live was miles better.

Yes nickel I saw that too.