Do you use your local library? If not why not?

[Ulysees]

We're lucky enough to have a good library in our village. It's open Thursday to Saturday.

I use it pretty regularly. Order books online usually.

I rang today as a book I want isn't available and the librarian said she'll request the library buy it in. It's the Julia Child book My life in France. So there won't just be me borrowing it.

I do buy books too. I just think it's a shame more don't use their library. They'll be gone one day.

That's excellent. What we need to keep them going.

@Ulysees I think we are lucky it was built when it as. As the council has just gone bankrupt!

Oh heck that's bad.

I use one London borough's library service for audiobooks, as it seems to have a particularly good selection. I am also a member of Westminster where I work and that is just awesome. More or less any book I want is available somewhere in the borough, and it's usually at the library by the office within 72 hours. Only very recently published books have a waiting list. I'm absolutely delighted by it and am so cross I only joined recently when it's been there all along.

No sadly because there is very little in the library that my little one would be able to borrow and enjoy, he is blind and needs really sensory books so we end up buying most of our books. It is also a small library and not really wheelchair friendly and certainly not set up in a way that he could explore what is on offer.

I use it but by the borrow box app as I tend to listen to audiobooks a lot.

@Ratfinkstinkypink have you talked to the librarian. They might be able to get books in for your little boy (a bigger branch might have them).

No never.
Used to a lot when the kids were little as it was a free day out!
No reason to go there now really.

I admit that I no longer use our library . Used it all the time when DS was smaller and more recently I visited every couple of weeks for books for myself, alternating with new paperbacks from Asda or the cheap ones from the Works. I stopped when everything closed in lockdown and started using the kindle which DH had bought years before and I had sworn I would never use. Signed up to Kindle Unlimited - and it's just so easy. Finish one book - I can order a new one to read immediately, and when I travel there is just the one item to take, and can even access on my phone .

I guess that you have a valid point though regarding the 'use it or lose it' and perhaps I ought to pop in some time .

Used it pre covid for the children . Just started using it now to get books for myself to read,for reasons of cost and sustainability . It’s open far less than it used to be though .

Yes, for audiobooks mostly. Glad to see that it has expanded its services to free wifi, computer access, 'warm room' hot drinks etc but it is a fairly large urban library. I saw one in a smaller town where the library was in the leisure centre. Perhaps that's one of the ways forward for local services, expertise in the core hours, but extended opening through joining up with other services.

I don’t use it for myself as I prefer my Kindle and the charity shops near where I live are amazing (most adult books 20p -30p)
I don’t really await new releases - I just pick up books that look interesting or by an author I’m familiar with.

I buy most children’s books for my dcs from charity shops as they are literally 10-20p per book, most look new and like they’ve never even been read!

We still go to the library though (once a month) as they have a lovely kids area with bean bags etc. Dd loves going, we probably spend a good 45 mins there, then we go to the cafe afterwards. It’s our monthly ritual😄

No, sorry.

It smells dreadful as it shares a public space with a medical centre; a cloying mix of disinfectant, illness & the general public. It's a real shame as the concept of a local hub is great. Can't figure out why the medicinal small is s strong, my GP surgery certainly doesn't smell like that.