to want books to be free, at least the ones I want to read?

[Fillyjonk]

I have it all sorted out

writers get paid a stipend by the state (at least writers I like)

and then we increase taxation for the top rate of tax payers by about 400% to pay for printing costs

and thusly my monthly amazon bill disapperars

(seriously, the books I want just aren't IN the libraries or on any of the bookswap sites-wtf am I meant to do, other than bankrupt myself, or else not read them? It just doesn't seem right...)

oh I should take out shares in abe . I do like that you can combine postage.

I fund my book habit atm through selling on amazon but am just aaargh really

book finder is another good site

Oooh, good site, thanks. Have just discovered selling on amazon - really chuffed as sold 7 books in the last couple of weeks. Need to work on getting my postage costs down though - I lost 4p on the last book I sold!

I buy jiffy bags in bulk from ebay

but my dad, who does this on a big scale, uses bubble wrap and brown paper (but he used to be in the merchant navy and likes tidy corners and so on)

Argh - as if I need another reason to spend hours on t'web...

Also found these - www.readitswapit.co.uk and www.greenmetropolis.com.

Unfortunately I buy books but then...don't sell them from all of those recommended sites
These are all pragmatic solutions to the shortfalls in local library services but I do implore you on behalf of information professionals everywhere to make your feelings known - to your "Leisure Services Directorate" or whatever, to your local councillor, consult any human employees still lurking in your branch library before they are given their P45s
Philistine cost-cutters can claim there is no demand for the type of material you want to see on the shelves if you don't do this, and can carry on bulk-buying Tilly Trotter books with ready-made gravy stains
And yes Filly you are right, generally speaking we are spoilt in London

Fillyjonk, when you sell your books on amazon, do you send them first or second class?

(Will go and get dressed in a mo )

oh it depends on the difference

if there is not much difference, say 10p, or if its nearly xmas or something, I send first, simply because it makes me so happy when my books arrive swiftly.

otherwise 2nd.

but i usually manage to send same or (if purchase after hours) next working day.

I work in inter-library loans at a University and we charge £6.50 for each loan we get for someone (they cost us £8.05 from the British Library, so it's not bad really). I think a lot of local libraries are subsidised with ILLs, and there are various schemes like SWRLS (South West Regional Libraries) which allow libraries to loan at cheaper rates. We send stuff for free to our county library as well.

I love my job, it's really interesting seeing the stuff people order

Heffa, ours are currently free at point of delivery but my HEI is much smaller
I agree, ILLs are fascinating
When I was a graduate trainee a good few years ago I was ordering stuff for research in to spacesuit design, homophobia in the police, geranium propagation and how mussels stick to boat keels amongst many others

Another graduate trainee! I did my traineeship a couple of years ago but I never left and got transferred to ILLs a few months ago. I seem to be ordering a lot of stuff on erotica in fairytales (?) at the moment, which is a bit disturbing.

i have just had a thought

if i trained as a librarian, would i get free interlibrary loans?

(but do they look at your overdue books record when you apply for taining? )

Filly
Never heard of the phrase "cobbler's children..."? It is a badge of honour amongst librarians to have a rap sheet as long as your arm! I had an extremely dysfunctional relationship with the Short Loan cash till when I was an undergraduate
You would only get free ILLs if you were working in the relevant library, but it is one of many useful perks as Heffa will agree

Aye, it is a nice perk And some of the librarians here have the most appalling fines (despite our year-long loan period ). Lucky we can waive them!