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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why my friend doesn't use the library?

199 replies

LissyGlitter · 01/07/2009 13:42

My friend posted on a website we both go on, asking if anybody had any roald dahl books they could lend her for a few days as she needs to do a project for her schoolkids (she's a TA) and several people offered one each, so my friend will have to drive round all the local suburbs collecting the books, remember who lent which one, and return them all to the right people. I suggested she just nip to the local library, and she said it was "too much hassle". The mind boggles.

I am shocked at the amount of people who don't use their local library. Why on earth would you not use it? I am the least organised person EVER and I can manage to either return the books within a couple of weeks or nip online and renew them without any trouble, it's completely free, kids don't even have fines, you don't even have to return books to the same library they came from! I didn't even have to provide any ID when I recently joined my local library (I have recently moved house to another council area)

So, what is the excuse for not allowing your kids access to millions of free books? Or even for not allowing yourself them? I enjoy having a huge collection of books (we have just thinned out our collection for moving by about 50%, and still have enough to cover an entire wall of our front room, and we are pretty poor) but I don't want to keep every single thing I read, and there's a limit to the amount of money I want to spend on novels that I'm only likely to ever read once anyway.

The libraries are no longer scary places where a woman in a twinset and a severe bun shushes you, they are fun, friendly places, where your kids will be welcomed and the library assistants and librarians will help you find what you want. If you are not a member or you don't use your membership, go there today!

OP posts:
muddleduck · 01/07/2009 14:21

Betty
I messed up with an online renewal and sent them an email and they cancelled my dept! IME they are often sufficiently disorganised that if you imply that it may have been their fault then they accept this.

Original poster
LissyGlitter · 01/07/2009 14:22

Jumente- were you actually a librarian? IE you had studied for a degree in your specialist subject then a postgrad in Librarianship? because I find it very hard to believe you did all that if you hate libraries. You were probably a library assistant like I used to be. My mother in law was a librarian until she retired and she is one of the cleverest people I have ever met. I am seriously considering doing a PG in librarianship if I ever finish this damned degree.

OP posts:
Galava · 01/07/2009 14:23

My library is too far away.

I dont think we are covered by a mobile library either.

ebay and on line are the way forward for me.

BettyTurnip · 01/07/2009 14:23

Thanks muddleduck, will try that.

ZZZenAgain · 01/07/2009 14:27

dunno why she isn't using the library. Had a bad run in with someone there?

I get a bit lost trying to keep track of dd's 10,000 library books from 3 different libraries and when everything has to go back. It can be a pain.

Speaking for me personally I am tired of snot and food stains on the pages and once I even had a book (I really wanted to read it too) with SO MANY bl* cat's hairs on every page it was too disgusting for words. I emptied a pile of hairs into an envelope to show the librarian and told her I couldn't face reading a book like that.

It#s disgusting what some people do to books. Never thought about the toilet side of things though

rolledhedgehog · 01/07/2009 14:28

Libraries are fab and we go every week but if she was after a number of particular books there was little chance she could get them all without reservations and maybe she did not have time.

HuffwardlyRudge · 01/07/2009 14:28

I love my library and am reading more than ever since joining.

I have been mulling over a possible thread on this very topic though. There is a certain snobbery about having a house full of books. Lots of people I know "simply couldn't imagine" not having lots of books in the house, and their sitting rooms are lined with books.

Well, I read 5 or 6 big paperbacks a month, but then I give them back and I do miss not having them there on my shelf as a monument to what I have read, and to refer back to. I just can't afford to buy books any more. I tell myself that it is greener and less affected and definitely morally superior to read loads from my library, but I don't feel 100% thrilled about giving the books back... anyone know what I mean?

ZZZenAgain · 01/07/2009 14:30

not really no. They are great dust traps. We have a ton of books and nowhere to put them. Don't want too many more.

Original poster
LissyGlitter · 01/07/2009 14:40

Since our big clearout, we have tried to narrow down the books we keep to just essential reference books (good dictionaries etc), books that might actually come in useful for uni or proving a point and particular favourites. DD has her own selection of books that she is quite attached to as well, but her collection is only tiny, so we let her off

We give all other books away to local charity shops, friends, or a local coffee shop that has an informal "bring one, take one" system (which we have supplied most of the books for as we are mad people who spend a very large proportion of our income on books for no good reason )

We still have far too many books...

One day I would love to have a room devoted to books, and I could build up a wonderful inspirational collection, but at the moment I have enough trouble keeping on top of the neverending mess!

OP posts:
bigchris · 01/07/2009 14:42

imo it's okay not to use the library if it's just for you, etc etc

but kids love libraries and surely it's up to us to take them?

RumourOfAHurricane · 01/07/2009 14:47

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potoftea · 01/07/2009 14:50

I agree that people who don't use libraries don't realise how they've updated their image in the past 20 years.

In my childhood I remember nothing but books, and having to whisper. But now its got dvds, cds, toys to play with there, a coffee/hot chocolate machine, leather sofas to lazy about on, daily and weekly papers to read as well as audio books and regular books.

But few of my friends ever use it, even though they do read. I used to find it a great way to pass and hour or two during wet weather with young children.

VinegarTits · 01/07/2009 14:51

Shiney i can't read, i have a man-servant/minion who reads and types for me, his spelling is terrible and dont get me started on his grammar

RumourOfAHurricane · 01/07/2009 14:53

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VinegarTits · 01/07/2009 14:55

you forgot no laptops for 7's and under

thirdname · 01/07/2009 14:57

I especially like the library for the children. No fine for late returns! I do usually combine it with something else.Books that are too dirty I won't borrow anyway.
My mum was against library books as they might contain tuberculosis germs...

verytiredmummy · 01/07/2009 15:45

I love libraries. But I tried to join my local one shortly after we moved and wasn't allowed because I didn't have ID with my address on.

I was rather cross and had it not been a v sweet librarian in a v nice part of south London I might have been tempted to ask if they had a big problem with rogue elements of society trying to join the library when they don't live locally.

The same day I went to register at the doctor and didn't have to show ID.

Haven't had a chance to go back since I got my new driving licence (let's hope that's good enough ID) but will when I'm next free on a Saturday (probably in December).

And I've got some bookshelves with books on display in my house. Not because of snobbery or because I think it makes me look clever but because those are books that are very precious to me. But I also read library books because I read all the time and couldn't possibly afford to buy new ones all the time.

FAQinglovely · 01/07/2009 15:47

I don't use the library

a) I still have all my kids books from when I was little - and my parents bought books like they were going out of fashion. Plus lots of people buy the DS's books for birthdays/christmas etc AND they get books out of the school library

b) our local library is shit.

Jumente · 01/07/2009 15:50

Ah Faq me too...including Beatrix Potters, Mr Men, Ladybirds...I went mad in charity shops for ds1 when I was pregnant, too so have too many!!!

expatinscotland · 01/07/2009 15:55

You're just full of a lot of these rants today, Lissy.

Bathsheba · 01/07/2009 15:58

I don't use ours because its in a busy city centre and it costs a fortune and takes ages to go in, park, walk to the library, etc etc etc

I think a lot more people wouyld use it if it was out of town and you could park there so getting things, or more importantly, returning things, could be a quick job.

lizziemun · 01/07/2009 17:34

YANBU

I love libraries.

All my children even ds who is 14wks is a member and has been since he was 4wks {grin]. Although he not getting much use from it yet .

We lucky where we are i have 2 libraries with in walking distant and the main one in town.

Hulababy · 01/07/2009 17:40

My local library is actually 4 or so miles away, so a drive away. We don't have one in this part of the town. And I am useless at remembering to take them back. Infact that is my main problem and why I don't tend to use them.

My DD isn't deprived of books though. We has literally 100s in her bedroom on two large bookcases - bought new, or as presents or many from the charity shops. She loves books and she loves to reread books too. And she has access to a large library at school too which she can borrow from anytime during school time.

Similarly a lot of my books are bought in charity shops, or passed between friends.

When DD has finished with her books I either return them to the charity shop or take them into mine or her school for their libraries. I take mine back to the charity shop too or pass to friends.

piscesmoon · 01/07/2009 18:04

All my DSs have been members since only a few months old. We can renew books on line at least twice-that gives 9 weeks to get them back!

Hulababy · 01/07/2009 18:14

Actually when DD was little and we lived in the city centre we did visit the library a lot, at least once a week. We would go to the story time sessions and look at books there. But that is when I found that I was rubbish at renewing books!