Where do you all get your reading material? (ficiton and nonfiction)?

[ragged]

Public library for me, very rarely a charity shop or stall, even more rarely do I buy new (and then it's likely to be Amazon).

charity shop, presents, buy new. Occassionally borrow from library but usually just borrow DVDs.

Why do you ask?

Library first and foremost. Also Second hand bookshops/charity shops/ market 2nd hand stall.

Non fiction I tend to buy from Amazon, because it's usually something specific I'm looking for - but I use Amazon marketplace if possible.

I also do a lot of swapping with friends and family.

Bookdepository.com if I am after something specific (am in Aus where books are shockingly expensive - it's usually 1/3 of the price to get them sent airmail from the UK).

For general fiction, my neighbourhood has a tradition of leaving books you've finished with in a box on your front fence, for passers-by to help themselves. When I've finished with them I put them back out for the next person.

Amazon for me

Dh & the dcs like scouring second hand book-shops

Would like to support the high steet book retailer more but they are ££

In no particular order: Amazon, Waterstones 3 for 2, charity shops, friends, subscriptions to magazines.

Amazon and supermarkets for new, then charity shops. My friends and family always pass on books to each other too.

Amazon for 90%.

Occasionally Waterstones 3 for 2 or Waitrose.

Amazon, charity shops and
www.readitsawpit.co.uk

readitswapit.co.uk.
got letter the wrong way round

I live abroad so it's usually Amazon & Marketplace. When I'm in the UK I sometimes use charity shops & Book People for kids collections or do the 3 for 2 offers in shops. Never use independent shops as too expensive and don't always have a great choice.

I asked.... well, partly am thinking of recent library news. Also, when people list books they are currently reading it's rarely the same books as me, I imagine they are reading literary sections of newspapers and deciding what to get on the basis of that, or browsing in bookshops, maybe?

Just curiousity, really. There are lots of ways to be a Bibliophile :).

Another charity-shop junkie here. I find that just about everything I want (and that includes literary fiction as well as whodunnits and good ordinary page-turners) turns up sooner or later. Some branches are good for different things, though - certain London Oxfams are the place to go for review copies of some very highbrow books!

I'm also on ReadItSwapIt and can't recommend it highly enough - it's brilliant.

Otherwise - Abe Books and the very, very occasional new book when I just have to have something!

Mainly Waterstones im addicted to adding to my points card, with that and my boots advantage card it'll hopefully be a fairly cheap Christmas!

Library (mostly children's department as that's where I spend most of my time browsing while the kids read). Currently reading all the Artemis Fowls .
Also charity shops and Amazon. But I have enough unread books on my shelf to last me well beyond my expected lifespan, so it's difficult to justify buying more.

Charity shop junkie since I was 15. I used to go to the market every Saturday to our town's one and only second hand stall. This was in the Eighties. One old guy used to turn up every Saturday morning to fill a bag with Mills and Boons.

Since I got my Waterstones card I've been buying more brand new stuff, particularly for DS.

Amazon (marketplace where possible, and world of books in particular on marketplace as I think they are a charity), Waterstones, Charity shops (less so these days as I don't read quite so much as I did so often looking for something specific), Family pass on/swaps.

Library sometimes for children's books, book people, red house.

Love the idea of hte neighbourhood swap system - iguess that wouldn't work in the UK, they'd all be a bit soggy .

I have no justification for acquiring more in the next twenty years or so, but do anyway - I have lots of library books out, I buy books via Amazon, Book People and Abe Books, and in the station WH Smith on special offer. I try to support my local indie bookshop by at least buying something there when I get the chance. I love charity shops and have a particularly great one, with lots of good books and very low prices, near me at the moment, I rarely leave there with less than 8 books, though that does include books for the kids now and in the future too.

I use Read It Swap It and Bookmooch too.

I also get books in exchange for reviews -

I review for www.thebookbag.co.uk - 48 books since August 2009, inc about 43 this year

www.Librarything.com has an early reviewers
scheme.

Waterstones gives away books, I've only managed to get one so far though.

If you use twitter, W H Smith will send you books for review if you send them your details, but they send very random things - everyone else gets books I really want to read, and I got a preposterous chicklit book and a rather better thriller about a mafia type family, which I'm still reading but probably wouldn't have picked up.

Library (though ours is teeny tiny), Amazon, Amazon for Kindle, charity shops, second hand shops, indie shops, borrowed from friends. DS gets from the Book People too

Library. I reserve a lot online. I see stuff reviewed and/or new in bookshops and reserve. There is usually a pile of several books waiting for me, and a rather harrassed looking librarian. I slightly think they spot me coming and shudder .

Definitely Read it swap it, then friends, new books as pressies, school fairs etc.

Find the reviews in the Spoilers section of Read it swap it are good too, often they pick up on subtleties which completely pass me by

I love the fact that so many of us already have more books that we will ever read but keep buying them anyway! I go to the library but also absolutely love being round book shops - I buy 3 for 2 from Waterstones and 2 for £7 from Tescos - do that about once a month - something to look forward to from my weekly shopping! I also get books from my sisters and friends - just can't resist it when anyone says - do you want to read this. I also have a shelf in my bedroom where all of my to read books are - and I am a bit OCD with my bought books I read them in the order I buy them - I love the anticipation of looking at that shelf and thinking yep in a few weeks I'll be reading you - I am so sad!!!!!

My local library, I very rarely buy books for myself,although I will buy them for other people as presents now and again. If I am buying a book it will usually be from amazon.

just nab dh's usually

motherinferior, I do that too. But the library near where dp works has free reservations, so I make lots of online reservations in his name and get him to pick them up (he actually works in the same building but he's not library staff). The other week FIVE came through at once, including Room and at lease 2 other brand new books - I actually decided I didn't need one and sent it back.

Have started reserving at library too-saved a fortune but still have Amazon habit.