do you prefer to buy a book or borrow from the library?

[juicychops]

i have so many books so i know its stupid, but i would much rather buy a book than borrow one. i love keeping the books i have read so that i have the choice to re-read one day

I do both so I don't see it as one or the other.

New books ie the latest Sophie Kinsella (great tastes i have from the library as I don't feel spending £10 is justified when I can reserve it for nothing. I pick up loads of books from charity shops - doesn't take long for paperbacks to find their way there.

Buy. No need to worry about losing them or ds2 ripping them.

Or of course my ultimate thing is when I buy the slightly worn out books from the library for about 20p each :)

Both - sometimes borrow then buy

I prefer to borrow. I don't like to clutter up the house with old books I propbably won't read again.

In fact my real preference is to buy at car boots and then give to charity shop.

I mainly buy. I need to own books.

I adore a library especially if I am alone and I can wander, pick and choose and maybe even read a bit in peace and quiet. PLus you can 'try' books and new authors. I like to buy as well but find that I have kept far too many books that I know I will never read again . PLus the cost factor and if it is a new edition you can still request it . ( I live abroad so generally I have to buy so I make the most when I am in the Uk)

I work in a library, I open boxes of lovely new books and if now one has reserved them then I take them home, I do buy classics and from authors that I and DH love so we have the complete set.

Borrow - definitely. Saves money and I don't like to accumulate too many books as I don't thing I have ever read one twice.

We do have A Lot of books at home by the way. We are definitely not minimalists. Just not got loads of money.

Buying tends to be for a treat. Otherwise with a tiny house already packed with boxes and shelves and a loft full of books, the library's a better option. I'm more likely to pick up something a bit different if I'm borrowing, which is definitely a good thing.

I would love to work in a library

I love both...so nice to buy a new book (that new book smell)..but I love to borrow too..at work we have a library where colleagues put books they have read so others can have a read too...we also share books between us...I think this could be a great thing to do online..or on mumsnet..you would just have to pay for postage..

Both.
I borrow about 4 books a week from the library, and do an Amazon order every 6 weeks or so. I have about 20 books waiting to be read .....

Both. I like to try before I buy with DD's books and with mine, I only get to read about 2 a year and takes me ages so have to buy! :)

Both, but working in a library was the best thing, as FiveGoMad says; there's nothing quite like a brand new book that doesnt smell that you don't have to pay to read.

I do both. If I really love a book that I've borrowed then I get my own copy when the paperback comes out.

Both, but mostly borrow due to lack of shelf space.

I buy from bookshops on very odd occasions

I buy from charity shops a fair bit

I borrow from libraries a lot. Use them or lose them - we should be doing all we can to boost their user stats and send a clear message to the powers that be that we need libraries.

I do both too. I have also just started getting E and audio from my library downloaded from them straight on to my computer (for free) ...I like the audio books but cant get used to reading a book on a computer.

As a compromise use this site - like borrowing but you can keep if you want.
I use it all the time! Otherwise I buy because I am too disorganised to get the back / make sure I know where they are / /stop DD eating them. Used to love the library and will prob go back when DCs are older

I much prefer to buy but don't have the pennies at the moment even for charity shop books so library it is. I adore the library for the dcs though, under 5 so no fines!

I borrow a lot from the library, but it isn't the most well stocked library and there is often a waiting list for popular titles.

I buy a lot from Oxfam books to keep the cost of my addiction down

Sparkle, has dd joined the library yet? If you're too nervous of borrowing books for her or you, don't forget the Bookstart scheme where she will get books to keep (at 8 months, 2 and 3)

she hasn't actually, I do need to do that.
She didn't have her 8 month check so I don;t think we'll get those, but wil have her 2yr one.
TBH we're never short of books - I encourage people to buy them instead of plastic tat toys for presents and we have the book people at work where the books are dirt cheap and I can never resist! We have lots of bookcases and not so much toy storage